By John Semakula

ABOUT 10 trucks suspected of carrying illegal timber worth millions of shillings from different parts of Uganda to Kampala have been impounded by forestry officials.

The impounded vehicles were displayed before journalists on Monday at Namanve in Wakiso district. Officials from Forestry Concern Uganda and the National Forestry Authority carried out the operations in which the trucks were impounded.

The executive director of Concern Uganda, Monday Buwembo, said the timber had illegally been cut from forests in Mpigi, Mukono, Kayunga, Masaka and Mityana districts.

He said most of the transporters had forged documents permitting them to transport the timber. Another group of drivers fled after being stopped by the forestry officials.

Buwembo noted that destruction of forests was responsible for the famine, floods and landslides which have hit the different parts of the country in the recent past.

“The timber will be sold through public auctioning and the income generated will be returned to the Government coffers,” Buwembo said.

Meanwhile, the two organisations are to carry out a sensitisation campaign on forest conservation in Mityana on March 23.