PM Nabbanja orders Bugoma forest intruders to vacate as UWA takes over management

The Ugandan Prime Minister (PM), Robinah Nabbanja has officially handed over the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA.

During the handover, she ordered the illegal encroachers to immediately cease their activities and vacate the reserved area.

Nabbanja noted that the forest has been seriously encroached on specifically by farmers, and charcoal burners.

The transition moved the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, which has been under the management of the National Forestry Authority, Ministry of Water and Environment, to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) under the Ministry of Tourism (MoT).

Nabbanja was shocked to witness severe deforestation during her visit to Bugoma forest.

Bugoma forest reserve which measures 41,144 hectares was gazetted in 1932, in Kyangwali sub-county, Kikuube district.

In the letter written by the president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, all individuals who entered the forest after 1932 are encroachers and must vacate or be evicted without compensation since they encroached on government property.

The letter also orders UWA to take immediate management of the forest, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development to clearly demarcate the forest boundary as per the 1932 boundary, and the cancellation of all the illegal land titles acquired in the forest reserve.

Meanwhile, she disclosed that the drive is aimed at restoring the depleted ecosystems but also upgrading Bugome central reserve forest into a National park to boost tourism that will generate money for the country through external revenue.

The PM called for cooperation between the Kikuube district leadership and UWA.

Retired Col Tom Butime, the state Minister of Tourism asked that all the encroachers whether big or small must leave the forest since it is now under the management of UWA.

Boaz Basigirenda, the National Forestry Authority (NFA) Range Manager in Charge of Budongo, says they started experiencing problems in 2015 when Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom leased land to Hoima Sugar.

Basigirenda also disclosed that since 2015, they have registered over 360 encroachment cases, out of which some of them bear court injunctions, a situation which makes it hard to fight the battle.

James Musinguzi, from UWA said that they are ready to take immediate management of the forest reserve with effective deployment to avoid continued encroachments.

He disclosed that UWA will put different strategies in place including on land patrols, air drone monitoring and aerial supervision using aeroplanes to ensure they fulfil their commitments.

Vincent Opio, the acting chairperson of Kikuube has requested Uganda Wildlife Authority to install an electric fence on the boundaries of Bugoma so as to avoid human wildlife conflict.

Opio also pledged the district’s support to UWA in ensuring the common goal is achieved.

Francis Kazini, the MP representing Buhaguzi County, wants UWA to give a grace period to the cultivators so that they will be able to harvest their maize.

The UWA official explains that they conducted a survey and discovered that all forests were being depleted.

Meanwhile, the forest reserve host communities remain happy about the move, noting that the restoration of the reserve will help restore the harsh climatic conditions of the areas, thus boosting their economic activities.