PM Nabbanja Directs Handover of Bugoma Forest to Tourism Ministry for Enhanced Protection

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has instructed the Ministry of Water and Environment to formally hand over Bugoma Central Forest Reserve in Kikuube District, Bunyoro sub-region, to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities. The aim is to halt increasing encroachment and degradation.

This directive came during a meeting on April 22, 2026, in Kampala with State Minister for Tourism Martin Mugarra and officials from the Water and Environment ministry. Nabbanja urged preparation of handover documents via the Attorney General, targeting completion next week, including details on the forest’s acreage.

The order stems from President Yoweri Museveni’s February 23, 2026, letter, which highlighted Bugoma’s degradation, ordered UPDF investigations into alleged charcoal burning by soldiers, and mandated eviction of all encroachers without compensation. Museveni stressed upgrading the reserve to national park status for better protection, noting its role as a river catchment and carbon sink.

Nabbanja referenced recent tensions, including her clash with Water and Environment Minister Sam Cheptoris over resource protection failures. Uganda’s forests have shrunk 48% since 1990, per FAO’s 2025 assessment, from 4.55 million to 2.37 million hectares.

Source: Daily Monitor