Local government officials from two Sub counties bordering Murchison Falls National Game Park in Nwoya District are embroiled in a bitter fight over a fund released by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in revenue sharing with communities around the park.
In August this year, UWA has released up to 173.411 million shillings in revenue sharing to Koch Goma and Lii Sub Counties respectively.
Koch Goma is to receive the largest amount of 104 million Shillings.
Meanwhile Lii, the newly created Sub County will receive 69.364 million Shillings.
However, Lii Sub County officials are complaining that Koch Goma should have not received any amount since none of its parishes border the national game park.
Tonny Akena, the District Councilor for Lii Sub County accused Koch Goma of dishonestly benefiting from the revenue sharing and yet none of its parishes lie within the boundaries of the national park.
Akena said at a press conference at the Northern Uganda Media Club last week that the disputed Lii parish is one of the parishes which are in Lii Sub County but not in Koch Goma as it is alleged by the leaders of Koch Goma Sub County.
According to Akena, not a single parish in Koch Goma Sub County shares its borderlines with the park.
He said it is unfair for Koch Goma to receive fund from the revenue sharing because its boundaries are far away from the park.
Lii splits from Koch Goma in 2015 to become a Sub County.
But John Bosco Okullu, the LC III Chairman Koch Goma Sub County dismissed the claim and said his Sub County is not erroneously being advanced the revenue from UWA.
Okullu says the confusion is being brought about by the fact that the local officials in Lii Sub County are mistaking Lii village which is in Lii Sub County for Lii parish which is in Koch Goma Sub County.
He also accused local leaders in Lii Sub County for being greedy and said the fight is about individual interest over money but not about service delivery.
Annually, UWA released about 557.5 million shillings for five Sub Counties in Nwoya district as part of 20 percent of park entry fees to the local governments which border the park.
Patrick Okello Oryema, the Nwoya LCV Chairman attributed the conflict between the sub countries to them claiming the same boundaries.