Residents of Kigaya Village in Najja Sub-county, Buikwe District, have appealed to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to intervene over four hippos they accuse of destroying crops, killing livestock and threatening human safety.
At the home of Musa Kyalimpa and his wife, the couple say they are struggling to recover from the loss of two calves they allege were attacked by hippos during the night.
Kyalimpa said the latest incident brings the number of cattle he has lost in the attacks to three. He added that repeated appeals to the relevant authorities had not yielded a response by the time of the latest incident.
The couple said they had borrowed money through the Parish Development Model (PDM) to invest in cattle rearing in hopes of improving their livelihoods. However, the recurring attacks have left them counting losses and worried about how they will repay the money.
The damage extends beyond livestock. Residents have also reported destruction of crops, including maize, potatoes and other food crops, which they say the hippos have eaten or trampled.
The affected families fear that continued destruction of their gardens will worsen food shortages in a community where farming is a major source of food and income.
Gonzaga Kitandwe, the local youth chairperson, urged UWA to intervene urgently, saying the four hippos were believed to be sheltering in a nearby papyrus swamp.
Kitandwe said the animals had also disrupted activities at Kigaya landing site, where people had reportedly been chased away from fishing areas and some had begun turning to farming for their livelihoods.
Residents fear that the continued presence of the animals could lead to further losses and potentially endanger lives if no intervention is made.
In a telephone interview, UWA spokesperson Bashir Hangi said the authority would send a team to assess the situation before deploying wildlife experts to track the hippos.
Buikwe South Member of Parliament Jimmy Kanaabi also called on the wildlife authority to intervene, saying the affected communities were suffering losses and faced potential danger from the animals.
Kanaabi said Buikwe District lacked the specialised expertise required to capture and safely manage the hippos, making intervention by UWA necessary.
Residents are now waiting for the promised assessment and intervention, hoping the authorities will address the problem before further damage is caused to their crops, livestock and livelihoods.