Uganda Wildlife
The Batwa are a pygmy tribe in the western region of Uganda who still live a pre-historic lifestyle – a life of hunting and gathering in search of food for survival. However, these people were located in some the protected areas of Uganda such as the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park renown for gorilla tours and the Semiliki wildlife reserve in the west of Uganda. In their hunting and gathering they often used the trees and vegetation as shelter, however, as time went on they erected temporary huts by day in the game reserves – Uganda Safari
In the 1990’s the Uganda wildlife Authority drove out about 70 Batwa people from the Semiliki wildlife reserve as they were poaching on some the wildlife in the reserve according the body charged with protecting Uganda’s wildlife. According to the King, Nzito Geoffrey, they hunted for wildlife in the reserve while they resettled on the edge of the national park. Life however got a little hard when the Uganda Wildlife Authority completely restricted hunting in the national parks and the surrounding land was also curved out to individuals who could afford. Uganda
In 2007 however, a local Non-governmental Organization known as RWIDE – Rural Welfare Improvement For Development which is based in the district of Kyenjojo came to the rescue of the Batwa with a project – the Batwa Homestead. Given its goal of improving the impoverished lives of the Batwa people, the European Union gave them a grant of about 43,885 Euros which is approximately 100 million Uganda shillings.
This fund was supposed to be used for the procurement of chucks of land for the Batwa people in the village of Bundimasoli in Kasitu sub-country found in the district of Bundibugyo. It was also supposed to be used to construct a settlement of approximately 22 houses that are semi-permanent with iron sheet roofing and good sanitary facilities such as pit latrines to cater for an estimated 90 inhabitants.
However, the Uganda Police have now opened up an inquiry into project after complaints from the Batwa people and the European Union. The director of RWIDE Mr. Mubiru Vincent is being investigated according to Mr. Asaba Nelson from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Bundibugyo. The Batwa people allege that Mr. Mubiru misused the funds intended to develop the settlement.
According to Mr. Jose Soler, the head of the European Union Cooperation they are looking into the matter after receiving complaints. He further said that the European Commission has even internal procedures to investigate any misappropriation of funds.
The supposed settlement is currently littered with human excrement and instead of the 22 semi-permanent structures that were supposed to be built there are only 14 with only one pit latrine serving an estimated population of 90 residents.
The construction work however leaves a lot to be desired given that the doors are loosely fitted with huge gaps in the doors. According to their King, Mr. Mubiru was supposed to involve them in the implementation of the project however, he didn’t and the police say there is a discrepancy in the exchange rate he used when asked about the sum of money spent.
The Batwa have also been evacuated from Bwindi impenetrable national park which is renown for gorilla trekking and their plight has been noticed by different humanitarian groups as the different communities where they have tried to settle now look on them as lazy and dirty people.
The quick change in life from hunting and gathering food to modern life is not easy and this has left many of the Batwa people in a situation where fending for food is not as easy as previously. Howeve, the European Union and other organizations are beginning to start other projects to alleviate the plight of the Batwa.
The Uganda wildlife Authority has also embarked on community tourism so the Batwa can benefit from the protection of the wildlife areas around the park. It is not uncommon to find Uganda tour packages consisting of a visit or community walk among the Batwa people.
