The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | State Minister for environment Beatrice Anywar has been tasked to order the removal of private and government tractors from Kiwula Central Forest Reserve in Kayunga district.
The directive made by parliament on Tuesday followed a report by Kayunga Woman MP Idah Nantaba that the tractors are being used to destroy the forest reserve. Nantaba said that 1,000 out of the total 5,000 hectares of the forest land is contested in court.
But she expressed concern that the court orders have been ignored with more than 40 tractors on the ground clearing the forest. She asked parliament to send its Natural Resources Committee to the area to ascertain facts on the forest and ensure that it is not ruined.
Her plea followed a communication from the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga about a letter sent to her office by the Registrar of the High Court in Mukono indicating that the land under contention before the Court is 2,146 hectares. This is under the case between businessmen Badru Ssemuga and National Forestry Authority (NFA).
NFA ran to court to ask for the cancellation of a title deed in the hands of Badru Ssemuga. The businessman is claiming ownership for 1,152 acres of the forest reserve for which he presented a title deed. A section of residents also own gardens on the disputed forest land measuring 2,000 acres.
Anywar said she was ready to proceed to save the forest if her actions would not be subject to the prejudice.
But Kadaga tasked Anywar to go ahead and save the remaining part of the forest.
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