NFA will appeal the High Court ruling
EDITOR—On Monday, The New Vision reported that the High Court had ordered the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to pay Mr. Sam Kiwanuka over sh2b for wrongful eviction and destruction of his property.
EDITOR—On Monday, The New Vision reported that the High Court had ordered the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to pay Mr. Sam Kiwanuka over sh2b for wrongful eviction and destruction of his property.
It was reported that the money, “would cover damages which Kiwanuka would have realised from the sale of 33.61 acres of land which NFA claimed were part of Kyewaga forest reserveâ€.
It was also reported that the land in contention was de-gazetted before Kiwanuka bought it. While the NFA acknowledges the reported judgment, the facts about the piece of land in contention are as follows:
Kyewaga Central Forest Reserve was first gazetted in 1932 with an area of 222.6 hectares then re-gazetted in 1948 and in 1968 with the same area. To integrate encroachment pressures, it was reduced to 209 hectares in 1998 under Statutory Instrument No. SI No. 63/1998 and has been maintained at that size to-date.
Even after the reduction, the surveyors’ documents clearly indicate that the piece of land currently in question is still part of the forest’s remaining 209 hectares. On these grounds, therefore, the NFA is challenging the High Court ruling and an appeal to be lodged with the Court of Appeal is being prepared.
Moses W. Watasa
Public Relations Manager
National Forestry Authority
It was reported that the money, “would cover damages which Kiwanuka would have realised from the sale of 33.61 acres of land which NFA claimed were part of Kyewaga forest reserveâ€.
It was also reported that the land in contention was de-gazetted before Kiwanuka bought it. While the NFA acknowledges the reported judgment, the facts about the piece of land in contention are as follows:
Kyewaga Central Forest Reserve was first gazetted in 1932 with an area of 222.6 hectares then re-gazetted in 1948 and in 1968 with the same area. To integrate encroachment pressures, it was reduced to 209 hectares in 1998 under Statutory Instrument No. SI No. 63/1998 and has been maintained at that size to-date.
Even after the reduction, the surveyors’ documents clearly indicate that the piece of land currently in question is still part of the forest’s remaining 209 hectares. On these grounds, therefore, the NFA is challenging the High Court ruling and an appeal to be lodged with the Court of Appeal is being prepared.
Moses W. Watasa
Public Relations Manager
National Forestry Authority