KAMPALA – In a charged session of Parliament on Wednesday, Bungokho Central County Member of Parliament Hon. Masaba Muhamood Mutenyo raised a matter of national importance, demanding a comprehensive report from the Prime Minister on the long-running boundary disputes involving the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Mbale District.
The session was chaired by Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa. Hon. Masaba told the House that residents living along the contested boundaries – particularly those bordering Mount Elgon National Park and adjacent forest reserves – are being subjected to harassment, assaults, and the systematic seizure of their livestock and crops by personnel from both agencies.
According to the legislator, local communities have repeatedly accused UWA rangers and NFA officials of terrorising them under the guise of enforcing park and forest boundaries. Residents claim animals are driven away or confiscated and crops destroyed or looted, leaving families without livelihoods. Hon. Masaba emphasised that the President had previously referred the boundary-opening dispute to the Office of the Prime Minister for resolution, yet the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate.
“Mr. Speaker, these are not mere boundary disagreements. Our people are living in fear. They are being assaulted, their animals taken, and their crops stolen by the very institutions meant to protect national resources,” Hon. Masaba stated on the floor of the House. He called for an urgent and detailed report from the Prime Minister detailing the status of the boundary demarcation, the actions taken so far, and measures to protect the rights and property of the affected communities.
The matter drew attention to the broader challenges of balancing conservation of Mount Elgon National Park and surrounding forests with the survival needs of communities that have lived and farmed in the area for generations. Boundary disputes in the Bugisu sub-region have simmered for years, often flaring into confrontations between local residents and enforcement officers from UWA and NFA.
Responding on behalf of government, State Minister for Tourism Hon. Suzan Nakawuki acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations. She pledged to engage the Uganda Wildlife Authority immediately and to investigate the claims of harassment and livestock seizures. The minister indicated that government would work to ensure that conservation efforts do not come at the expense of community rights and peaceful coexistence.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa directed that the concerns raised by Hon. Masaba be formally communicated to the Office of the Prime Minister for a comprehensive response to Parliament. The House expects a full report addressing the boundary status, any ongoing operations by NFA and UWA in Mbale District, and concrete steps to end the reported abuses.
The intervention by the Bungokho Central MP has amplified the voices of residents who say they have endured repeated incursions and losses. Local leaders and community members have long complained that unclear or contested boundary lines have given enforcement officers room to act with impunity, turning what should be protected natural heritage into a source of daily insecurity for ordinary farmers and herders.
As Parliament awaits the Prime Minister’s report, the issue underscores the delicate balance Uganda must strike between safeguarding its national parks and forests and upholding the dignity, property rights, and security of citizens living on the frontlines of conservation. Hon. Masaba’s motion has placed the spotlight firmly on Mbale’s contested boundaries, with many hoping it will finally deliver clarity, accountability, and lasting peace for the affected communities.
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