UGANDA: CHARCOAL FROM NORTHERN UGANDA DESIGNATED TO WORLD MARKETS IN MIDDLE EAST

Although President Museveni has put bans on charcoal businesses, there is illegal booming trade in exportation of charcoal to Saudi Arabia and Dubai, United Arab Emirate.

Within the same Executive Order, President Museveni also completely banned the illegal presence of Balalos in Northern Uganda districts.

KAMPALA CITY- THURSDAY, June 8, 2023. Gilbert Olanya, the maverick Member of Parliament (MP) for Kilak South, Amuru district, Northern Uganda accused the high ranking Uganda Government of being behind exporting charcoal to Dubai, United Arab Emirate and Saudi Arabia.

Over 20,000 tons of charcoal from Acholi land are being transported to Eastern World Markets alone, while Kenya industries also are benefiting from charcoal from Acholi Sub Region.

“When you see Uganda Police Forces (UPF) and Uganda People Defense Forces (UPDF) convoys escorting trucks of charcoal passed road block at Layibi round about just within Gulu City up to Karumba bridge boarding the district in Western Uganda, don’t be faulted that President Museveni banned on charcoal businesses and forest degradation is real. It’s a cover up to shield out the high ranking government officials.” Gilbert Olanya warns.

The heavy trucks that ply Kampala-Gulu highway with the containers moving straight inland into Amuru, Nowaya, Pader, Lamwo and Agago districts, those containers are well equipped with charcoal parking machines that even flash charcoal and park it.

The charcoal exportation is carried out by President Museveni which involves chains of close family members, that is why you see heavily militarized means of transport taking place here in Acholi Sub Region, Gilbert Olanya reasoned.

Christopher Komakech, the Aruu South MP, first ask Oyeng Yeng News online publication that they have misquoted him, as such the Mangement do apologies, however his position, says as government, environmental policy need everybody to participate in tree planting.

“My stand up has been very simple, we need to promote environmental protection against the background of tree cutting, as people cut tree to sent their children to school, take their wife to hospital. Because its as substitute because during dry season when people open up their garden, the tree which they cut can be use as charcoal.” Komakech reiterates.

However, according to independent sources the Black Star News an Earthed, President Museveni all along wanted have been advocating for stopping charcoal burning, but the mafia around have been using first family to allow them free hand in exporting charcoal, source’s revealed, the money they get from OPM should help them to not to cut tree.

“My docket right now in Aruu South to develop our community aftermath of Odonga Otto, what show that he was there for 20 years as Member of Parliament, even people of Ankole, Baganda and Lango do not stand to fight as Baganda, Nykole or Lango but they developed their areas. give Caeser what belong to Caeser, let cultural leaders fight their war, Aruu still developed first.” Aruu South reasoned

Komakech says people should protect their land against charcoal dealer must embrace Parish Development Model other why my focus is about poverty in Aruu, County especially in Awere Sub County where 10 percent of Nodding syndromes children are suffering, they are very poorer, how can they embrace Parish Development Model, we need the programs to promote those nodding syndromes children who have now grown up, how can PDM they benefit from it.

The story attuited to the former Aruu County MP Odonga Otto is not associated to the current MP  Komakech

Odonga Otto went and approaches President Museveni in deal done mission, which he told President Museveni that he is going to campaign for stopping charcoal burning in Acholi Sub Region, that is why when you see him walking free without being arrested by Uganda Police Forces, and Gilbert Olanya faced police arrest and military harassment, because Odonga Otto is being sponsored by state, Aruu South MP disclosed.

“President Museveni has given order to evict those Rwandans from Eas.” tern D.R. Congo and Northern TZ, but leaving his Rwandans from Uganda originating those who have acquired National Identification Cards. President Museveni has distributed land of Mede Sub County, the contested areas between Amuru and Gulu districts. The land between River Aswa and River Unyama toward South Sudan.” Komakech mooted.

Currently, President Museveni has grabbed land at Got Apwoyo Sub County which is growing porridge for his animals feed, and he has fenced it off against Elephants corridor strolling away from Murchison, Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Santa Okot, the MP for Aruu North, also accused President Museveni of dividing Aswa Ranch among his peer clan mate, the new military occupational forces in Acholi land, where those new Rwandans tribe who called themselves as one of the new tribe in Acholi, they are now engaged in Soybeans plantation in Aswa Ranch.

“I know that President Museveni has taken and grabbed Aswa Ranch, but is he going to roll out our land? Acholi land will remain Acholi land, let him go and ask his former Dictatorship Idi Amin who had grabbed land from Purongo Sub County from Pino Yago, renaming it West Nile Province, when Uganda National Liberation (ULFA) Army topple him in 1979, did Amin’s enhance men look back and claimed the land President Amin used military decree to grabbed Acholi land.” Santa Okot boss-fully laughs at Museveni’s Aswa Ranch land grabber as a day dreamer.

Rwot Yusuf Adek, of Pageya in Gulu District where tree cutting has been very massive destroyed also supported Gilbert Olanya accusation, indeed If Northern Uganda is among the areas which is exporting charcoal in the Middle East, let the money be deposited back to the community.

“Let the government declare that Northern Uganda is exporting charcoal and also we benefit as a society. But if the government is taking all the profit without giving back to the community, then we are in receiving hands.” Rwot Pageya argued.

Onen Pope, a forest expert, says the sale of charcoal is not bad, because many industries in the world use charcoal for fuel, let there be utilization of trees and we look for massive tree planting and forest mountainous.

“There are factories which are providing gas, but those factories should have their tree plantation, there are many factories that use wood logs, many of them in developed countries have their forest reservoirs, before they are given license to operate. And let the government also plant forest which was destroyed during two decades of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)) conflict in Northern Uganda.

When the Black Star News contacted Mark Moro, the Director of Chamber of Commerce, he could neither confirm or deny that charcoal from Northern Uganda are world experts.

The week after Owiny-Dollo’s public comments, President Yoweri Museveni issued an executive order banning the commercial production of charcoal in northern Uganda, disrupting a national trade that has long been influenced by cultural sensibilities as much as the seeming abundance of idle land.8 hours ago

Executive Order, “President Museveni claims to have bought the land from so and so. The problem, however, is that land in the north is communally owned for most of the time, with such land, the land, nobody can legally sell it to anybody without the permission of the clan or family. Those sells are therefore null and void”

Secondly, even if they were to be legally owning the land, nobody should bring livestock in the area, if he has not fenced the land, provided water, etc. otherwise that livestock will commit the sin of Okwnesa (Cattle trace passing the crops of the wanainch) according President Museveni, the ban doesn’t mean that Balalos cannot buy land and settle in Northern Uganda

President Museveni emphasized that on the accounts of two mistakes above, the right cannot be enjoyed.

“By the authority of this Executive Order, no mulaalo should settle in Northern Uganda except with permission of the Minister for Lands and Minister of Agriculture. These Ministers can only give permission if the two problems are addressed. I therefore direct all government agencies to ensure that these Balaalo are expelled from indicated areas by the end of June, 2023.

For peace, harmony and development, I must respect the northern Uganda Customary Land tenure system and rights.”

The Black Star News political pundit, observed that, if President Museveni, the Executive Order is true because he has penned down his signature, then Uganda will be in pace not in paceces.

Now, what awaits Ugandans since the Lion has roared, following the tilted pot from the north toward the South, what awaits Ugandans. Are we going to have Uganda Political Democratization process to legitimize political gustiness and good will the Sebogabu have demonstrated.