UWA arrests 100 over illegal activities in Bugoma forest

Last Updated 1 hour ago by tnd News, Uganda

Kikuube | Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has reported that it has arrested over 100 individuals for engaging in illegal activities in Bugoma Central Forest in Kikuube district. 

The arrest was reported by Fred Kiiza, the chief warden at Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP), during the launch of a restoration programme on the degraded 22 square miles of Bugoma forest in Isozi village, Kikuube district.

According to Kiiza, the victims were arrested after being caught engaging in active charcoal burning, transporting charcoal from the forest to market centres, despite numerous efforts put in place to overcome the illegalities.

Kiiza noted that the victims are all from within Bunyoro and were arrested and later taken to Kampala Utility Court, where they will be charged with their offences.

On May 9, 2026, the government of Uganda transferred the gazetted 41,144 hectares of Bugoma Central Forest Reserve from the Ministry of Water and Environment to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for management.

The transfer, which was done under the orders of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, is aimed at restoring the depleted ecosystems, but also upgrading Bugoma central forest reserve into a national park to boost tourism and therefore generate money for the country.

Bugoma forest was gazetted in 1932, but underwent different Illegal encroachments, including agricultural expansions, charcoal burning, and tree felling for timber, which resulted in maximum depletion of ecosystems and also poor climatic conditions.

Kiiza applauded different security agencies, including the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Uganda Police Forces (UPF), for their collaborative efforts in curbing the growing illegality in the forest

He also ordered the immediate withdrawal of all the illegally deployed security personnel from the gazetted forest.

“We have gone through legal meetings to ensure that all the illegal security deployments, including Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in the forest be withdrawn or synchronised with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for better management,” he told tndNews, Uganda.

“….anyone who will be found in possession of any security personnel within the park will have to answer,” chief warden Kiiza warned.