Opposition members of parliament Ken Lukyamuzi and Beatrice Anywar have blasted President Yoweri Museveni for threatening to wage war against those opposed to the Mabira Forest land give away. The duo says it is not intimidated by the threats of Museveni and has vowed to protect Mabira land at whatever cost it takes. They accuse government of defying several environmental protocols that it has ratified.
They cite the multilateral agreement by World Bank to protect Mabira and other related forest covers. The accusations stem from fresh attempts by government to allocate Sugar Corporation of Uganda Ltd-SCOUL 7100 hectares of land in Mabira forest for growing sugar cane. In 2007, government unsuccessfully tried to allocate the same land to SCOUL leading to a violent riot in which three people lost their lives.
However, recently President Yoweri Museveni vowed to allocate the land to SCOUL drawing fresh protests from environmentalists. But Ken Lukyamuzi, Shadow Minister for Environment advises government to resort to modern agricultural farming methods to improve production instead of encroaching on Mabira forest land. He maintains that Mabira Forest is a water catchment area whose give away will affect the environment. Lukyamuzi also notes that sugar cane can grow in any part of the country and see no reason why Museveni insists on giving away Mabira forest land.
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Beatrice Anywar, shadow minister for energy oil and Mineral resources says the battle lines are drawn between government and its own population. Anywar wondered who Mehta was and asked IGG to investigate claims that he does not pay taxes.
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President Museveni announced his determination to give way Mabira forest land when he hosted city traders under KACITA and Kwagalana group. The traders had reportedly gone to lobby Museveni against giving away Mabira forest land.
