The Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Professor Anna Tibaijuka, has formed a taskforce to handle hippopotamus and crocodiles from Rubondo Game Reserve, which have been attacking and killing people from nearby villages.
Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development Prof Anna Tibaijuka
Professor Tibaijuka, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Muleba South-CCM, pledged to send a total of 23 youths to attend training on how to handle the animals.
She also donated a total of 500,000/- to facilitate their training. This follows a report that 13 people in Nyakabango Ward, in Muleba District were killed by hippopotamus and crocodiles last year.
The Ward Executive Officer (VEO) for Nyakabango, Mr Revocatus Mujumuzi, informed Minister Tibaijuka that the wild animals were causing a big security concern. “The animals were a big threat….people are frightened due to increasing incidents of wild animals wandering from Lake Victoria,” he said.
Meanwhile, three people from Kimwani Ward in Muleba District drowned in Lake Victoria over the weekend when their canoe was smashed to pieces by a hippopotamus.
The Ward Councillor for Kimwani, Mr Slyester Mulija, identified the deceased as Mashaka Michael ( 35), Alistides Scarion (30) and Shedraka Selemani (25), all residents of Kiteme Village.
He said the incident happened over the weekend, adding that two other people survived the incident and named them as Emanuel Mafilili (29) and Mawazao Tibikanya (25). According to Mr Mulija, this was a second incident within a spell of two weeks.
He said on December 25, last year, another person, who was identified as Severine Salvatori (35 ) was killed by a crocodile. Kagera Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr George Mayunga, confirmed the incident adding that the bodies had already been recovered and were buried by their relatives.
Muleba District Commissioner, Mr Lembris Kipuyo, said a team of game experts from the Natural Resources department has been dispatched to Rubondo Game Reserve to track down the animals.
In another development, a 68-year-old man identified as Joseph Babyeyaka from Kihumulo Village, in Muleba District was on Monday morning found dead outside his house after being assaulted by unknown assailants.
Kagera Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr George Mayunga, said two suspects were helping police with investigations over the incident. He named them as Pantelini Masasi (36) and his girlfriend Paulina Lucas (24).
By MEDDY MULISA, Tanzania Daily News