Ayiri village cries for justice over alleged NFA encroachment

Adjumani | Residents of Ayiri central village in Ukusijoni sub-county, Adjumani district, are calling for urgent government intervention following years of tension with the Uganda National Forestry Authority (NFA) over alleged illegal encroachment and property destruction.

The community accuses NFA of repeatedly burning homes and destroying property since 2014, with the most recent incident occurring on March 11, 2025, when the home of a village elder, Godfrey Simba, was reportedly set ablaze, destroying food crops and household items.

Simba, who also chairs the village elders’ council, claimed that NFA has expanded its operations beyond the legitimate boundaries of Zoka Central Forest Reserve, crossing River Zoka into community land.

“We know the forest reserve ends at River Zoka. We have not crossed it. NFA should focus on those who have actually encroached from the other side of the river,” he said.

Residents say their families lived in the area before being displaced in 1911 due to tsetse flies and now face hostility in their attempts to resettle on their ancestral land. Multiple efforts to engage NFA in dialogue have reportedly been ignored.

Richard Ngenge, another resident, blamed the ongoing conflict between the Madi and Acholi communities on the government’s failure to demarcate the forest reserve’s boundaries. “Our grandparents coexisted peacefully with the Acholi. Today, people have died, others have been injured, and still, the government remains silent,” he lamented.

Concerns of selective enforcement were also raised. Thomas Bingo alleged that while some individuals are allowed to exploit the forest with impunity, locals whose homes lie outside the reserve face violent evictions.

Elder Silvano Amoko, aged 65, questioned the intentions of the NFA. “Where are we expected to go with more than 300 households? Why burn houses instead of choosing dialogue?” he asked.

David Luga, another community member, warned of potential protests if the government continues to ignore their plight. “We’ll have no choice but to defend our lives, property, and land.”

Ayiri Central’s vice chairperson, Joseph Lindri, confirmed that the March incident was not isolated. He argued that many residents have returned to their ancestral lands because much of Ayiri now hosts refugees from South Sudan.

He also accused NFA officials of collaborating with illegal loggers and charcoal dealers who are depleting the forest unchecked.

Lindri further demanded accountability from NFA for the forest areas allegedly lost under their watch. He called for the clear demarcation of forest boundaries, especially as the government, supported by UN-Habitat, plans to begin issuing customary land ownership certificates in Ukusijoni sub-county.

In a May 2024 letter addressed to the Adjumani district chairperson, the Ayiri community urged district authorities to intervene, warning that failure to act would result in demonstrations. “We rally behind you because you represent the voiceless. We demand full compensation and a platform for dialogue with NFA,” part of the letter reads.

However, Zema Okuni, NFA’s supervisor for Zoka Central Forest Reserve, denied the allegations. “No operations have been reported to me involving house burnings. I sanction all forest operations,” he said.

Okuni revealed that plans are underway to open forest boundaries across West Nile, including Zoka. Adjumani’s Resident District Commissioner, Peter Taban Data, echoed this, emphasizing the need for marked boundaries to prevent further conflicts.

The Madi Paramount Chief, His Royal Highness Suru Baru Simon, pledged to facilitate a meeting involving the district leadership, community members, NFA, and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to agree on the boundary demarcation.

Meanwhile, environmental activist William Amanzuru Lesiely, leader of Friends of Zoka, condemned illegal activities within the forest but called for fair and transparent enforcement. “Evictions meant to preserve the forest must be carried out justly. This matter needs thorough investigation and resolution,” he said.

History

Zoka Central Forest Reserve covers an area of 6,145 hectares and was designated as a central forest reserve in the 1940s.

East Madi Wildlife Reserve spans 8,200 hectares and was officially established by a Statutory Instrument in May 2002.

Before that, it was part of the East Madi Controlled Hunting Area, which had been created in 1964.