Be strict with encroachers
Oct 11, 2006
POLICE have arrested six veterans who cut down two acres of forest in Lwamunda Forest reserve in Mpigi. They felled the timber using chainsaws. The veterans had applied to the National Forestry Authority to join the re-afforestation programme but grew
POLICE have arrested six veterans who cut down two acres of forest in Lwamunda Forest reserve in Mpigi. They felled the timber using chainsaws. The veterans had applied to the National Forestry Authority to join the re-afforestation programme but grew impatient waiting for a reply.
Last week the National Environmental Management Authority demolished structures and blocked channels that had been built by other so-called veterans in the Kyetinda wetland near the Gaba waterworks.
NEMA and the police have done the right thing to get tough on these encroachers who seek to legitimise their actions by claiming to be veterans without any verification from the UPDF.
The pressure on forests, wetlands, game reserves and parks is only going to get worse as Uganda’s population continues to grow inexorably. Today Uganda has 26 million people. In 2025 there will be 50 million Ugandans.
Teeming Ugandans will be a workforce and market for Ugandan industry but some will be tempted to land-grab if they do not have jobs.
Government must remain alert to this threat and continue to support the strong stance of the police and NEMA. Forests and parks are vital to the long-term health of tourism and the environment.
At the opening of the northern gateway to Murchison Falls Park this weekend, President Museveni (in a speech read for him) clearly stated that Basongora herdsmen should be evicted from Queen Elizabeth Park, encroachers should leave Mount Elgon and that grazing should stop in Semliki and Kidepo. However he emphasised that encroachers should be resettled humanely and boundaries clearly marked out.
Encroachers should be treated reasonably but at the same time government should not allow encroachment to become a fast-track solution to getting an official land allocation. Let the boundaries of forests and parks be clearly demarcated and encroachers prevented from settling there.
Last week the National Environmental Management Authority demolished structures and blocked channels that had been built by other so-called veterans in the Kyetinda wetland near the Gaba waterworks.
NEMA and the police have done the right thing to get tough on these encroachers who seek to legitimise their actions by claiming to be veterans without any verification from the UPDF.
The pressure on forests, wetlands, game reserves and parks is only going to get worse as Uganda’s population continues to grow inexorably. Today Uganda has 26 million people. In 2025 there will be 50 million Ugandans.
Teeming Ugandans will be a workforce and market for Ugandan industry but some will be tempted to land-grab if they do not have jobs.
Government must remain alert to this threat and continue to support the strong stance of the police and NEMA. Forests and parks are vital to the long-term health of tourism and the environment.
At the opening of the northern gateway to Murchison Falls Park this weekend, President Museveni (in a speech read for him) clearly stated that Basongora herdsmen should be evicted from Queen Elizabeth Park, encroachers should leave Mount Elgon and that grazing should stop in Semliki and Kidepo. However he emphasised that encroachers should be resettled humanely and boundaries clearly marked out.
Encroachers should be treated reasonably but at the same time government should not allow encroachment to become a fast-track solution to getting an official land allocation. Let the boundaries of forests and parks be clearly demarcated and encroachers prevented from settling there.