Golf club, KCCA disagree on cutting down trees

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There is a stalemate between Uganda Golf Club and Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA over the proposal to cut down old trees from the golf course.

Jackson Karyarugookwe, the Captain Uganda Golf Club, says they have earmarked over 50 trees to be cut down.

Some of the affected trees are over 100 years old.

According to Karyarugookwe, the affected trees have decayed and pose a threat to the life of golfers, the general public and property in and around the golf course.

He says at least 8 trees have collapsed within a period of two years causing damage to the golf course.

Karyarugookwe says to avoid further damage and human causalities; they resolved to cut down the old trees.

Asked if they were cleared by Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA to cut the trees, Karyarugookwe replied in the affirmative. He however, couldn’t specify the number of trees they were allowed to cut down.

The KCCA Spokesperson, Peter Kaujju told URN that the Authority only cleared eight trees to be cut down.

He says if the club wants to cut down more trees, they need to seek clearance for those as well.

Karyarugookwe says that they are working with experts from the National Forestry Authority-NFA on the pruning exercise.

He says NFA helped them identify the decayed trees that needed pruning, adding that the Authority shall also help the club to identify the proper tree species to replant.

He says the club plans to replant over 800 trees.  Karyarugookwe says each of the over 200 members of the club will be required to plant at least four trees in a day’s event scheduled for October.

The golf course sits on about 800 acres of land and has thousands of trees of different species and ages. He says the club has been conducting a tree pruning exercise and replacing some hence the age disparity.

A 2009 tree pruning and planting notice seen by URN indicates that the golf course would start pruning trees and replace each with five trees.

Set right in the heart of Kampala in Kitante valley in Kololo, the golf course is one of Kampala’s green spaces.

The golf course started in 1907 laying between Makerere Hill and Mulago Hill before it was moved to its current location in Kololo in 1919. The golf course has hosted the Uganda Open tournament several times and currently has a course record of 63.

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