UPDF pardons illegal charcoal transporters, releases 13 trucks
Before handing over the trucks to their owners, the UPDF 5th Division army commander, Maj. Gen. Keith Katungi, strongly cautioned them against repeating the act that violates the Executive orders on environmental protection.
Katungi said the army is now facing challenges in Pader district, where some leaders, especially at sub-county level, are reportedly still involved in commercial charcoal dealing. (Credit: Joseph Ekol)
LIRA - The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) 5th Infantry Division has today handed 13 trucks that had been impounded over charcoal dealing in northern Uganda back to their owners.
The trucks had been impounded while transporting charcoal from northern Uganda in the last five months for violating Executive Order Number 3, which was issued by President Yoweri Museveni, stopping charcoal dealing.
The army emptied the charcoal from all the vehicles before giving them back to the owners.
Before handing over the trucks to their owners, the UPDF 5th Division army commander, Maj. Gen. Keith Katungi, strongly cautioned them against repeating the act that violates the Executive orders on environmental protection.
“I can confirm that the methods are working; where we used to intercept 20 vehicles per month, today we are handing over 13 vehicles collected in five months,” Katungi said, noting that the charcoal found on each vehicle was little.
He said most of the trucks impounded were transporting merchandise to the markets and that only 20 bags of charcoal were found, which means the scope is going down.
Katungi said the army is now facing challenges in Pader district, where some leaders, especially at sub-county level, are reportedly still involved in commercial charcoal dealing.
Before handing over the trucks to their owners, the UPDF 5th Division army commander, Maj. Gen. Keith Katungi, strongly cautioned them against repeating the act that violates the Executive orders on environmental protection. (Credit: Joseph Ekol)
“We are also a bit overstretched by those entering Lira City with three bags of charcoal carried on the motorcycles,” he said.
She pointed out districts like Pader, Agago, and Kitgum, where charcoal burning is still rampant, suggesting that the Executive order be amended to compel each of the illegal charcoal dealers to plant more than 100 trees to replace every tree cut, once arrested.
Lawrence Egole, the Lira Resident City Commissioner, said that since 2023, when the UPDF started the implementation of the Executive Order, there was an influx of people from western Uganda carrying out illegal charcoal trade, but most of them have abandoned the business.
He expressed disappointment that the northerners who complained to the president are now the ones degrading the environment, and cautioned the truck owners never to get involved in illegal charcoal burning or risk having their vehicles auctioned.
James David, who spoke on behalf of the truck owners, thanked the UPDF for pardoning them instead of taking radical actions against them. He admitted the fact that involvement in illegal charcoal trade was wrong, adding that the confiscation of their vehicles had cost them a lot of money.
“We are very sorry, we want to assure you that if we are to come back here, it will be for other reasons, and from today onwards, we are going to be your ambassadors, collaborate with you and speak out to people out there not only about the importance of the Executive order, but also about protecting the environment,” he said.