The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) 5 Infantry Division has distributed impounded charcoal to vulnerable households in Lira City as part of the ongoing enforcement of President Museveni’s directive against commercial charcoal burning in Northern Uganda.
The distribution was overseen by Division Commander Major General Keith Katungi, who said the charcoal was seized during recent operations in Baralegi Parish, Otuke District, following the Executive Order issued on May 19, 2023 to curb environmental destruction caused by large-scale charcoal production.
According to UPDF figures, more than 120 trucks transporting charcoal have been intercepted since the directive took effect.
The seized charcoal had been kept at the Lira military barracks for months before being allocated to households identified as most in need.
Maj Gen Katungi said the exercise is intended to reinforce national environmental protection efforts that have struggled against decades of forest loss.
“Since 1960, more than 60 percent of Uganda’s forest cover has been lost to charcoal burning and deforestation. This operation is meant to reverse that trend and protect the country’s future,” he said.
Lira Resident City Commissioner Egole Lawrence applauded the UPDF for what he described as firm and professional enforcement.
He noted that several charcoal dealers attempted to bribe soldiers to bypass checkpoints, but the officers refused.
Egole warned that anyone violating the ban risks having their trucks seized, auctioned, and facing prosecution.
Authorities urged the public to take greater responsibility in safeguarding natural resources, warning that expanding human activity continues to accelerate forest depletion and contribute to global warming.
Officials say the UPDF-led operation demonstrates the government’s commitment to protecting Uganda’s remaining forests and promoting more sustainable resource management, while ensuring that vulnerable communities benefit from enforcement actions in an equitable manner.