Namanve survey faces resistance from veterans

Jul 10, 2013

The survey of boundaries in Namanve Forest Reserve by the National Forestry Authority and the ministry of works, is making headway, but with stiff resistance from encroachers.

By Taddeo Bwambale

The survey of boundaries in Namanve Forest Reserve by the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and the ministry of works, is making headway, but with stiff resistance from encroachers.

The month-long survey exercise, which started on Monday, has so far covered more than five kilometres in Bukasa and Kirinya, Wakiso district, the NFA spokesperson, Gonza Arali told the New Vision  this afternoon.

The Government is surveying the forest reserve with plans to curve out 500 hectares for the construction of an in-land port.
Gonza disclosed that the encroachers had made it difficult for the surveyor to go to some places in the forest reserve.

“Some of the veterans are blocking the exercise because they feel that the survey will expose them as encroachers. Some parts of the forest have become a no-go area,” Gonza said.

Police deployed heavily at the start of the survey on Monday and dispersed hundreds of people who attempted to block the exercise.

An estimated 1,200 encroachers are said to be living in the forest reserve, in anticipation of compensation packages from the Government.

However, Gonza said none of the encroachers would be compensated, stating that, ‘the Government cannot buy land from encroachers.’

The National Forestry and Tree Planting Act, 2003 prohibits settlement, felling of trees, farming and construction in gazetted forest reserves.

Gonza said some of the encroachers are people who got licenses for cutting timber while others claimed to be war veterans with no place to go, who forcefully entered the forest reserve.

Part of the forest reserve was degazetted to create room for the establishment of an industrial.

Gonza disclosed that NFA, working with local leaders, has embarked on a media campaign to encourage illegal occupants of the forest reserve to vacate.

The survey continues in parts of the forest reserve in Mukono district to establish the existence of boundary marks and their location.

Surveyors will embark on demarcating boundaries of the forest reserve after the surveys are concluded.

 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});