Leaders and residents in Kikuube District are urging the government to fast-track the handover of the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), citing escalating encroachment and environmental degradation.
The call follows a directive by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to ensure the immediate transfer of the forest’s management from the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to UWA.
President Museveni ordered that UWA take over the reserve without delay, pointing to widespread deforestation, illegal activities, and encroachment. He also directed all encroachers to vacate the forest voluntarily and proposed that Bugoma be upgraded to a national park to guarantee stronger protection.
According to the President, Bugoma plays a critical ecological role as a catchment area for several rivers and as a major carbon sink, contributing to climate regulation.
He further instructed the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to investigate allegations that some senior army officers are involved in illegal activities in the forest, including charcoal burning.Local leaders say the situation on the ground remains dire despite the presence of NFA.
Nestory Tumwesigye, the LCV Councillor for Kyangwali Lower, noted that the forest continues to face illegal logging, charcoal production, and cultivation. He has called on the government to expedite the handover process, arguing that NFA has failed to effectively protect the reserve.
Christopher Nkalu, the Kikuube District Council Speaker, also accused NFA of presiding over widespread mismanagement and illegal activities within the forest. He urged the government to act swiftly to transfer management to UWA to safeguard the reserve.
Vincent Alpha Opio, the Kikuube LCV Vice Chairperson, raised concerns over reports that individuals have fraudulently acquired land titles within the forest reserve, despite it being under official protection. He expressed confidence that UWA’s stronger surveillance systems would curb further encroachment once it takes over.
At the community level, Desire Nkurunziza, LC1 Chairperson of Nyairongo village, warned that ongoing destruction is threatening chimpanzee habitats and undermining the area’s eco-tourism potential.
Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, which spans approximately 410 square kilometres, was gazetted in 1932 and placed under NFA management in 2003.
It is one of Uganda’s most biodiverse forests, hosting 24 mammal species, 465 tree species, 359 bird species, 289 butterfly species, and 130 moth species. Notably, it is home to about 10 per cent of Uganda’s chimpanzee population, according to a 2012 census.
The forest also serves as a critical wildlife corridor and a catchment for rivers that drain into Lake Albert and River Nguse, where the government plans to establish a hydropower dam.
Its proximity to the Kingfisher oil field further underscores its importance in greenhouse gas absorption and local climate regulation.In 2016, the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom leased 22 square miles of adjacent land to Hoima Sugar Limited for sugarcane cultivation.
Environmental regulators later permitted cultivation on 9.24 square miles, allocated 1.26 square miles for an urban centre, 1.97 square miles for eco-tourism, and restored 3.13 square miles as forest, while preserving 6.17 square miles as natural forest.
However, conservationists have continued to criticise the development, warning of potential ecological damage and threats to tourism. The Kingdom, on the other hand, maintains that the leased land is ancestral property and not part of the Bugoma Forest Reserve. URN