Bugoma Forest land boundary opening exercise halted due to irregularities

KIKUUBE, UGANDA: The Bugoma Central Forest Reserve land demarcation has been halted following irregularities in the exercise. Francis Kazini the Buhaguzi West legislator has confirmed the halt of the developments in the exercise due to the failure of the implementors to engage the local leaders and a private surveyor on behalf of the local community during the demarcation exercise.

Kazini says the exercise will resume once the issues are rectified.
“The boundary opening exercise of Bugoma Forest land was not welcomed by some of us that’s why we had put much effort so as to halt the exercise because during the boundary opening exercise you could find there is no local leader present and even the local are supposed to have a private surveyor”.

According to the Legislator, NFA utilized the irregularities in the exercise to open up boundaries at the expense of the local community since they were not represented.
“You can not open up boundaries when the neighboring community is not represented, so we want this exercise to be revised before continuation because any project without the approval of the local community can not be successful”. Hon. Kazini said.

Kazini also asked residents neighboring the Bugoma Forest land to be patient until all the irregularities in the exercise are resolved.
“Am asking people neighboring the Bugoma Central Forest land to stop demonstrating against the project irregularities because we as local leaders, we are going to invite you so as to complete this exercise peacefully”. Kazini said.

The exercise that had commenced recently has been seen as a move that would have helped to solve the conflicts between the community, NFA, and Hoima Sugar which had for the last six years claimed to be owners of the Bugoma Forest land.

The boundary opening exercise would also protect Bugoma Forest from illegal loggers, and encroachers neighboring the land in Kikuube District.