The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has attacked a section of Ugandan climate change activists saying their aim is to siphon money from western funders.
He claimed some of the activists have never planted a single tree in Uganda but keep on making noise at international level over environmental degradation.
"There's a big international cartel of people masquerading as climate change activists and organisations to steal money [from donors]," he said.
He made the remarks as he intervened in the long-running battle to save the Mabira Forest that has been a thorn in the neck of local communities for a long time.
Tayebwa was shocked by the extent of destruction in and around Mabira, promising that he would dispatch two parliamentary committees including the Natural Resources committee and on Climate Change to assess the magnitude of the matter and report to the House.
"If you're polluting, you pay, as a measure of mitigation. You can't stop development but sustainable development whereby you pay for your sins," he said, insisting that Parliament would hold all those responsible to account for their environmental crimes.
Tayebwa emphasized that preserving the environment was nothing less than preserving life and said trees and forests play an essential role in mitigating the impact of climate change.
"As deforestation continues, we must put back what we’re taking away. Planting trees is one of the most important things we can do to contribute to the health of the planet. Forests are the lungs of our planet, drawing in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen and we are the world's buffer," he said.
Jimmy Lwanga, the Member of Parliament for Njeru Municipality claimed that some factories were flouting environmental protocols with impunity.
Lwanga who sits on the Natural Resources Committee of Parliament said factories had been set up in residential areas and that they were polluting the environment with wanton abuse.