12- acre forest pits old man against businessman

A photo montage of businessman Ephraim Ntaganda (L) and Deziderio Kasujja, a licensed tree planter in government forest reserve

What you need to know:

  • Asked to explain his interest beyond resolving the dispute between Mr Kasujja and Songoza, Mr Ntaganda told the commission that he wanted the old man to be at peace.
  • Ephraim Ntaganda is a businessman. He deals in manufacturing and import businesses.

KAMPALA. Businessman Ephraim Ntaganda has been accused before a commission of inquiry into land matters of destroying 12 acres of eucalyptus trees in Kajjansi Central Forest Reserve.
Dr Deziderio Kasujja, 79, a licensed tree planter in government forest reserve, told the commission that Mr Ntaganda with the backing of armed security personnel destroyed his planted forest and 150 beehives without compensation in March 2016.

“My complaint is against Ntaganda for burning my trees and the bees. He cut down the forest and sold the timber and wood,” Mr Kasujja testified.
Mr Kasujja said he petitioned Mr Michael Mugisa, the executive director of the National Forestry Authority (NFA), but no action was taken.


“I call this a crime because at the time of destroying my reserve, I had wage earners and an agent, Cedric Songoza, who are looking at me for payment. It is difficult to explain to them that I did not connive with NFA and the rich man (Ntaganda) to destroy the forest,” Mr Kasujja told the commission in the presence of Mr Ntaganda.

Mr Kasujja, who also invited the commission to visit the site, accused Mr Ntaganda of conniving with the NFA boss to destroy his tree plantation.
“I acquired a permit to plant trees in Kajjansi forest reserve in 1997 from the forestry department, but in March 2016, the executive director of NFA colluded with Mr Ntaganda to destroy my 12-acre forest in Kajjansi, Wakiso District,” Mr Kasujja said. He also displayed receipts and letters of allocation of the permit signed by the then commissioner of the Forestry Department.
“I incurred costs for hire of workers to remove old tree stamps, and prepared the field. I also paid ground rent to fulfill the conditions as set out by then Forestry Department,” Mr Kasujja said.

While showing the disputed agreements, Mr Kasujja testified: “Ntaganda is liar... I did not have any problem with my agent and I have never called Ntaganda. Songoza came as a youth and asked me for space to work and he did not tell me about his brother (Ntaganda).”


“I went to the forest and found Mr Ntaganda with men whom he described as his workers. He told me he had sent various agents to tell me to sell the forest to him and I refused. He was accompanied by armed policemen and barred me from accessing my forest,” Mr Kasujja said. He said he did not report the matter to the police because he found them escorting Ntaganda but he reported the matter to his area MP, Mr Medard Segona.
In his defence, Mr Ntaganda said the transactions on the disputed land were between Mr Kasujja and Mr Songoza whom he described as his elder brother.

He said Mr Songoza paid Shs19m in 2014 and another Shs65m in 2016 to Mr Kasujja although it is not indicated in the purported agreements and memorandum of understanding presented.
He dismissed Mr Kasujja’s claims that he was escorted by armed security personnel and was cutting trees.
Mr Ntaganda said he visited the scene while honouring Mr Kasujja’s call to him to intervene in a dispute between him and his brother.

Asked to explain his interest beyond resolving the dispute between Mr Kasujja and Songoza, Mr Ntaganda told the commission that he wanted the old man to be at peace. But the commissioners noted that there was no evidence that money exchanged hands in the purported agreements.

The land in question is subject of a court proceeding in which a local company, Logic Estates Ltd, was sued jointly with NFA, the commissioner of Land Registration, Wakiso District Land Board and the Attorney General over the construction of a commercial building on forest land.


Mr Marvin Kagoro, a concerned citizen who filed the case in court, wants court to order the accused parties to jointly pay compensation into the Government’s Consolidated Fund for allegedly violating the sovereignty of all forest biological resources which is vested in the people of Uganda and to be conserved and managed by NFA.

Who is Ntaganda?
Ephraim Ntaganda is a businessman. He deals in manufacturing and import businesses. He owns E-M plaza on Kampala Road and is the proprietor of Excellent Assorted Manufacturers Ltd situated in Busega that claimed Shs18b in compensation from UNRA for more than 8 acres in a wetland which was affected by the construction of Kampala-Entebbe Express Highway.