By Godfrey Olukya 7-9-2012
Some wild authority officials in democratic republic of Congo have accused Uganda peoples defense forces for poaching elephants in their Garamba national park.
However Uganda army has vehemently denied the allegations leveled against it by Democratic Republic of Congo saying they are not only unfounded but also malicious.
There have been media reports in Congo saying Uganda army was responsible for rampart poaching of elephants in Garamba national park.
Garamba national park official,’ Solo Mabanga said,’ We have heard from some people that some army men in Uganda are involved in poaching elephants in Garamba national park. They say that recently they saw a Uganda army chopper flying very low over the park which made them suspect that it was searching for elephants.’
But Uganda army spokesman, Colonel Felix Kulayigye said that the allegation was malicious. He said,’Uganda does not have any soldiers on Congo soil and so it is not possible that our soldiers are the ones poaching the wild animals in Garamba Park.’
About the helicopter flying in Congo he said that it was flying over Garamba Park to the Central African Republic where Uganda is fighting LRA rebels.
‘How do they expect us us to fly to Central African Republic without crossing Congo?’ Kulayigye asked.
The fact remains that many elephants and other wild animals are killed in Garamba national park by poachers. There is no concrete proof that Uganda army is involved.
END
