Illegal Tree Cutters Benefit from Covid19 Diversion

Whereas the entire country is focused on the Coronavirus pandemic, a group of shrewd people are out in wild accelerating illegal tree felling in the country’s precious natural forests.

In Rukungiri District, people yet to be identified have pitched camp in Imaramagambo Forest, which stretches to Mitooma and Rubirizi District at the periphery of the Queen Elizabeth National Park Conservation Area, and are indiscriminately cutting trees for timber, firewood and charcoal.

ChimpReports has learnt that this plunder started immediately after President Yoweri Museveni declared an entire country shut down over the Coronavirus pandemic and since the authorities were busy enforcing the presidential and Ministry of Health guidelines, the plunderers saw a loophole and went in.

The tree cutters went in after President Yoweri Museveni ordered a national shut down last month

Rukungiri District Forest Officer Arthur Twinomujuni told this reporter that the forest in question was under the National Forest Authority (NFA), and therefore the District has no authority over it.

According to Twinomujuni, South Imaramagambo Forest covers 15000 hectares and is managed by National Forest Authority (NFA) together with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) since it is located within the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENPCA).

Twinomujuni however said that for many years, Rukungiri District Forest Department has been putting serious measures aimed at protecting degradation of forests especially in Bwambara Sub county and all neighbouring sub counties and a forest guard was stationed there to work with other stakeholders who include Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and National Forest Authority (NFA).

“We are committed to protect the forest and we shall not sit and watch when the forest is being depleted” Twinomujuni said.

When contacted, the UWA Officer in Charge of Bwentare Post where the Forest is located Baluku Benson said that they have always arrested and handed over to Police in Rukungiri whoever is found carrying out illegal activities in the Park.

“It’s on record that we normally arrest the culprits and hand them over to Police and this can be verified at the Central Police Station” Baluku said.

Baluku however blamed the local leaders especially the LC1’s for failing to work with them because they don’t want to open up and reveal the individuals who are behind the illegal activities.

A recent joint operation carried out by the UPDF and Police revealed that fresh trees were being cut but could not identify the cutters.

When contacted, Rukungiri District Chairman Andrewson Charles Kateebire said that he had received a report about the illegal plunder and had tasked the District Forest officer to furnish him with a report as soon as possible.

It’s now feared that by the time the country wakes up from the Coronavirus pandemic shutdown on May 5th as directed by President Museveni, the forest will have been badly damaged.