Uganda: Parliament directs compensation of family after baboon attack on child

Parliament has directed that a family whose four-month-old child snatched by baboons and later found dead in a forest is compensated. 

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, gave the directive to the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities during plenary on Thursday, 30 October 2025.

He observed that children in Kagadi District no longer go to school and parents are not working, in a bid to protect their children from wild animals.

“People say they have been reporting these incidents to the authorities, but no action has been taken. This is a big problem in Kagadi and other areas where there is human-wildlife conflict,” Tayebwa said.

Parliament urged the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to find lasting interventions to protect communities living in the district and other parts of the country from attacks by wild animals and present a comprehensive statement to Parliament showing the action taken on the matter.

Ntoroko County MP, Hon. Ibanda Rwemulikya, noted that communities living at the borders of game parks and forest reserves face similar challenges, citing human-wildlife conflict near Semuliki National Park.

“In Kanara Town Council, we have a number of cases where children were snatched and injured by baboons. Parents are footing expensive medical bills, and there is no compensation for them,” Rwemulikya said.

He called for a nationwide investigation into such incidents in areas where local communities live close to wildlife, and reiterated the need for adequate action by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.

Hon. Richard Wanda (NRM, Bungokho Central County) cited incidents of harassment by staff of Uganda Wildlife Authority on communities in the Elgon region.

“They harass locals over boundaries, and sometimes lives have been lost because these staff shoot people and destroy property including buildings and crops. The minister should develop an action plan to address the challenges of wildlife management,” Wanda said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.