Masaka leaders, NFA lock horns over abattoir
Contested. The disputed piece of land where the district authorities want to construct a modern pork abattoir at Kijjabwemi on the outskirts of Masaka Town. PHOTO BY IVAN KIMBOWA
What you need to know:
- Tug of war. Whereas Forestry officials insist the land where the abattoir is to be built is a forest reserve, the district says it was turned into an industrial park.
Masaka.
Masaka District chairperson Jude Mbabaali has said the construction of a modern pork abattoir in Masaka Town must go on despite resistance from environmentalists.
Although the National Forestry Authority (NFA) says the three-hectare piece of land where the abattoir is to be constructed is part of Kumbu Forest Reserve, Mr Mbabaali insists the land was de-gazetted several years ago.
“We are just waiting for the appropriate time to give a full statement on the turbulences facing our construction process but nothing can stop us,” Mr Mbabaali said on Saturday.
However, Mr Denis Sebugwawo, the NFA manager in-charge of Sango Bay Range, said if the district wants to use part of the forest land, they must follow proper channels rather than encroaching on it.
“The three acres of land being claimed by the district authorities are part of the protected forest reserve and anyone wishing to use it for any other purpose must follow the right procedures,” Mr Ssebugwawo said by telephone on Saturday.
On April 17, a joint force of soldiers and police working with NFA arrested 10 workers who had been contracted to kick start construction of the abattoir on the land.
Mr Ssebugwawo said they had in March communicated to the district authorities halting their plan to encroach on the forest reserve and wondered why they had sent builders to the site.
Mr Ssebugwawo said the forest reserve was gazetted in 1938 and since then, many developers have attempted to grab some of its land because of its strategic location.
The disputed forest forms part of the catchment area for Nabajjuzi wetland system, which is a tributary of Katonga River basin that drains into Lake Victoria.
Dr Lawrence Mayega, the district production officer, said they have a land title, which they acquired when the forest reserve was converted to an industrial park.
Dr Mayega said they have already secured part of the Shs840m needed for the project and no one should stand in their way to implement it.
“The land was turned into an industrial area in 1985 and the NFA officials acted in unprofessional way to interrupt the construction process; we are handling the matter for the work at the site to resume,” he said.
