Protests in Arua District over allocation of forest reserve to minister
Arua district local government has questioned the giveaway of a huge chunk of land off Kafu Forest Reserve in Logiri sub-county, Arua district to urban development state minister Obiga Mario Kania.
The worker’s representative councilor and chairperson of the district works, finance, production, and natural resources committee, John Michael Adabo, blamed the National Forest Authority (NFA) for what he called the poor relationship between them and the community surrounding Kafu Forest Reserve.
He faulted NFA for allocating the land to Kania, one individual, instead of the community surrounding the forest reserve.
Adabo said this had angered the residents who have since turned violent. He called for massive sensitization of the communities on the policies of NFA.
This he said is coming as a result of population increase. He asked NFA to demarcate all forest reserve boundaries.
“They need to facilitate the political committees to protect forest reserves is paramount,” Adabo said.
He said communities have been involved in afforestation activities in the forest reserve and therefore, deserve to be heard before such a decision is made. He blamed NFA for failing to sensitize the communities on the decision taken.
Meanwhile, Alfred Okuonzi, the Arua LC5 chairperson, condemned non-government organizations engaged in inciting the communities to violently attack NFA and district officials.
Speaking during a dialogue on environmental conservation and forest cover protection at Muni University on Thursday, Okuonzi said the organizations claim to be protecting the interests of the oppressed, forgetting that Kafu National Forest Reserve has existed for a long period of time, save for the current generation want to grab the land.
Robert Ocen, the deputy Resident District Commissioner, said there is a need to talk to the people to understand how protected government forest reserves work.
He said the land was donated over 50 years ago by the forefathers of the current generation for conservation, but people now want to grab it.
Minister Kania said he applied to NFA for 500 hectares and was granted permission to utilize it like any other Ugandan.
“In 2016, NFA placed adverts in the media, calling on individuals to apply for land in various forests. They were giving blocks of land. I have a license from NFA and documentation for allocation of the land for afforestation,” Kania said.
Kania asked those complaining to visit NFA and seek clarification.
Robert Owiny, the NFA range manager West Nile, said NFA is currently opening the boundaries of Kafu Forest Reserve to protect it from encroachment.
