In Summary: In his supporting affidavit, Human rights lawyer Joshua Okello argues that charcoal remains an essential source of cooking energy for many Ugandans because alternatives such as liquefied petroleum gas and electricity are beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. He is also asking court to compel government to introduce affordable energy alternatives and comply with Parliament’s October 14, 2026 directive suspending enforcement of the ban.
Soroti, Uganda — The Soroti High Court has reportedly served the Attorney General with a hearing notice in a public interest lawsuit filed by human rights lawyer Joshua Okello challenging the enforcement of the charcoal trade restrictions under Presidential Executive Order No. 3 of 2023.
The development sets the stage for a court hearing reportedly scheduled for November 16, 2026, in a case that questions the legality of security operations targeting charcoal traders and households that depend on the fuel for cooking.
Okello filed the case against the Attorney General under the Human Rights (Enforcement) Act, 2019, arguing that the enforcement of the presidential directive has disproportionately affected low-income households and vulnerable communities in Northern Uganda, West Nile, Karamoja and the Teso sub-region.
In his supporting affidavit, filed at the Soroti High Court, Okello, a renowned human rights advocate, argues that although Executive Order No. 3 of 2023 was issued to address environmental degradation, its enforcement has increasingly targeted domestic fuel users and subsistence traders who have no affordable alternatives.
The lawyer contends that the restrictions and associated security operations threaten the livelihoods of people who rely on charcoal for household energy and small-scale trade.
In his affidavit, Okello argues that charcoal is not merely a commercial commodity for many low-income families but an essential household resource. “For the vast majority of low-income families in Uganda, charcoal is not a luxury or an item of commercial exploitation, but an indispensable and fundamental daily tool for basic survival and food preparation,” he states.
He further argues that economic hardship, inflation and the high cost of living have made cleaner energy alternatives unaffordable for ordinary citizens.
According to the affidavit, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and electricity remain financially out of reach for many households, making the enforcement of charcoal restrictions particularly burdensome. Okello says the government should first ensure that affordable alternatives are available before penalising citizens who depend on charcoal for their daily needs.
He is now seeking court intervention to restrain arrests, seizures and other enforcement measures targeting small-scale charcoal traders and domestic consumers. The application also seeks orders requiring the government to formulate an affordable energy policy and comply with the directives issued by Parliament on October 14, 2026.
The lawsuit comes amid growing public and parliamentary debate over the enforcement of the charcoal restrictions and the availability of affordable cooking energy.
On October 14, 2026, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Markson Oboth, reportedly halted and suspended enforcement of the charcoal ban pending the presentation of a clear and affordable energy plan by the Ministry of Energy.
The lawyer is now seeking a permanent injunction against enforcement measures targeting small-scale charcoal traders and domestic users, alongside other orders intended to protect communities affected by the restrictions.
He also wants court to direct government to introduce affordable alternatives and adopt measures that balance environmental conservation with the energy needs of low-income households.
The Attorney General has been listed as the respondent in the matter.
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