Army deployed after seven are injured in fight between two businessmen over government forest

MUBENDE. Police and the Army have deployed at Kanyogoga Parish in Butoloogo Sub County, Mubende District to defuse tension between two businessmen who are wrangling over the management of Mpinve Forest Reserve in Mubende District.

The deployment followed a fierce fight on Tuesday between casual workers of Mr Emmanuel Abomugisha who was reportedly allocated 420 hectares by National Forestry Authority (NFA) Mr Moses Karangwa who owns 1,200 hectares.
Seven people were admitted to Mubende Regional Referral Hospital with injuries after the fight. The casual workers were reportedly hired by the businessmen to plant trees in the depleted part of the forest.

Each of the two businessmen claim to have secured a licence from NFA to plant new trees in the forest but the demarcations are not clear.
Mr John Bwete, the Kanyogoga Parish chairperson lauded security deployment saying the tension between the two rival businessmen had affected several innocent residents with several assault cases reported.
“There is no single day that passes without getting a complaint from a resident who has been beaten or injured by people from a rival group. People have become enemies, I am happy that security has been beefed up,” he said.

Mr Abomugisha said he was surprised to see some residents conniving with Mr Karangwa to frustrate his work.
“When I started evicting the people to plant trees, it created a huge rift between me and some residents. They chose to connive with Mr Karangwa to frustrate my work in this forest,” he said
Mr Richard Kwiringira, an agent of Mr Karangwa, said disagreements started after the latter was introduced to residents by NFA as one of the investors in the area.

“Some of the people have failed to accept this fact that part of the land is now owned by someone else,” he said
Mr Baguma Nyakwera, the Mubende resident district commissioner said she rushed to the area on Tuesday after receiving information that residents were mobilizing to kill each other following a disagreement on who should manage the forest reserve.

“We have invited NFA officials to come and clarify on who owns what in this forest reserve. So, let residents stay calm as we look for ways of resolving this conflict,” Mr Nyakwera said.

Mr Tom Rukundo, the NFA director- natural forests management ,said the Authority has already demarcated the land at Mpinve forest reserve and various meetings between the two businessmen and NFA officials have been held but there are still pending issues which are being handled by the line minister.
Mr Martin Okoyo, the Mubende District police commander said security personal will camp in the area until the conflict resolved.
“Our officers have camped in the area after getting information that there are groups of people who have been hired as machineries to beat others. Foot and vehicle patrols by both police and the army are going to be intensified in Butoloogo Sub County to trace for all those causing harm to other people,” he said.

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