NFA, Mengo officials clash over forest reserve

Masaka.

A row has erupted between the office of the Kabaka’s representative in Buddu County (Pokino) and the National Forestry Authority (NFA) over part of Bukakkata Forest Reserve, which the former have cleared for the construction of offices for Kabaka’s officials in Bukakkata Sub- county.

Early this week, residents of Bukakkata Sub-county armed with machetes and axes descended on the forest reserve and started clearing two acres of a reserve where the kingdom plans to construct the office of the area Kabaka’s representative, Mitubaabiri, something that has sparked off a misunderstanding between Buganda and NFA.

Ms Rose Namuddu, the Kabaka’s representative of Mitubaabiri- Bukakkata, told Daily Monitor on Wednesday that the idea was perceived by residents in Bukakkata who convened a meeting recently where they resolved to construct an office on the Kabaka’s land, which is part of the forest reserve.

“We are not cutting down the forest reserve because we know its importance, but we want to use the already depleted part to erect an office,” Ms Namuddu said in an interview.

However, officials from NFA, have since protested the move and instructed residents to stop clearing the forest reserve.
“I have found that your (Buganda Kingdom) office in Bukakkata has destroyed some part of the above named forest reserve claiming that it is Kabaka’s land. This serves to inform you that this is a gazetted central forest reserve and the above activity is illegal and contravenes Sections 14 and 32 of the National Forestry Authority and Tree Planting Act of 2003...,” reads in part the August 9 letter, signed by Mr Evans Tumushabe, the NFA area supervisor, addressed to the office of the Pokino.

Mr Tukamushabe warned that destroying part of the forest, if not stopped immediately, may lead to a serious conflict between NFA and Buganda Kingdom.

But Mr Abdallah Mwalimu Kato, the second deputy Pokino, who was instructed by the Pokino, Mr Vincent Mayiga, to handle the matter, advised NFA to back off since part of the forest reserve, which had been cleared to create space for constructing an office ‘is very small.’

“The sub-county headquarters and a health centre are not even an acre away from here, but it gives me a big surprise to hear that NFA is stopping the landlord, who is the Kabaka from carrying out development projects on his land,” he said.
He added; “Apart from constructing an office, we are planning to put up coffee, banana and cassava plantations within the two acres of land.”

He advised NFA to use the remaining chunk of the forest reserve for environmental conservation.
Buganda Kingdom has been very instrumental in conserving the environment.

In 2007, when government attempted to give part of Mabira Forest Reserve in Buikwe District to Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited to expand its sugarcane plantations, the Kabaka made a generous offer of alternative land to save the natural forest. Masaka sub -region has 29 government forest reserves but five of them, including Jubia, Mujuzi, Manwa in Bukakata Sub-county, Minziro and Namalala forest reserves, both in Rakai District have been degraded.