Kidepo jubilee would have been a turning point for Karamanjongs
Rev. Simon Lokodo who is the minister for Integrity together with his fellow MPs from Karamoja region have expressed their bitterness about the fact t that the Uganda Wildlife Authority decided to have the Kidepo Valley National Park jubilee celebrations at a hotel in Kampala rather than having the celebrations in the park.
This came after Uganda Wildlife Authority decided to mark the Park’s milestone at Kampala Serena Hotel and they argued that by doing so, they left the real community living around the park out of the fete. Lokodo who was so angry in his own word said “That is useless and rubbish. I’m strongly denouncing it as an insult to the people of the area who surrendered their land to government just so the national park could exist.”
He said that for so long now, the people in the region have not been brought on board in the arrangement and plans of the park something that he condemns in the strongest terms possible and calls it a mistake in this case. What is more annoying is the fact that the community which was meant to be the beneficiaries of the park were not involved in the celebration.
Lokodo is also the MP for Dodoth West in Kabong district and according to him, this celebration would have been a great opportunity to remember all those game rangers who were killed by some animals in the park in the days and it would have been a great motivator for fellow rangers to continue working in the park.
The people living around the grave sites where those killed game rangers were buried said that this was the most appropriate place to hold the celebrations that is according to a information got from New vision reporter s who visited the grave site prior. And Abraham Eitan, a Karamonjong called this high jacking and wonders how UWA could highjack the function and does not involving the community and yet the communities are the ones who protect these animals from illegal hunting.
MPs also said that they had not been on informed of the 50 years anniversary of the park until almost to the last day which is so disrespectful on their side.