President Yoweri Museveni has halted the degazetting the Barifa Urban Forest Reserve in Arua Municipality.
In a March 23rd letter sent by Amelia Kyambadde, the President's Principal Private Secretary, Museveni orders a halt on the degazetting until an investigation by the ministries of local government, lands and urban development investigate the process. He says the decision was made in response to complaints by a group of Arua residents concerned that they had not been consulted on the degazetting.
The residents demand that alternative forest land be identified before the destruction of Barifa Urban Forest Reserve.
Charles Asiki, the Mayor of Arua, says the degazetting of the forest is necessary to provide the municipality with room to expand
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Barifa Urban Forest Reserve spans Mvara Ward and Awindiri Ward in Arua Municipality, reaching into Oluko and Dadamu sub-counties.
The Town Clerk of Arua, Charles Barabanawe, says all procedures to degazette the forest were lawful and questions the basis for the halt on its destruction. He says the Municipal Council acquired 265 acres of land in Logiri sub-county for the planting of a new forest as required by law.
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