Police in Kisoro District has kicked off investigations into circumstances under which a suspected poacher was shot dead by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
According to the Kigezi regional police spokesperson, Elly Maate UWA rangers attached to Nkuringo ranger post who were on their normal foot patrols in the national park met three suspected poachers who engaged them.
“On confrontation, one Aloyse Kakuru, 28 a Ugandan resident of Nteko village, Nteko parish, Nyabwishenya sub-county in Kisoro district was shot dead whereas another suspected poacher was arrested. The third suspect ran away,” Maate said.
He said the incident happened at River Ivi within Bwindi national park noting that suspect in custody has been identified as John Kaheru,28 who was later disarmed.
“The scene was secured by UPDF and Uganda Wildlife Authority personnel whereas police visited the scene and investigations have started.”
Tourism enthusiasts have always complained of poaching as set back to the country’s tourism industry.
A recent census undertaken in Murchison Falls, Kidepo and Queen Elizabeth National Parks indicated that lions had reduced by 33% in Uganda’s game reserves over the last 10 years from 600 to 400 lions in a decade.
This trend has been fueled mostly by poaching in the national parks for ivory, tusks, hides and skins and meat from the animals.