UWA accuses Hoima Sugar of encroaching beyond allocated land in Bugoma Forest

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has accused Hoima Sugar Factory of encroaching on more land in Bugoma Forest than was allocated under its agreement with the government, raising fresh concerns over the protection of one of Uganda’s critical natural forests.

The allegations were made by Fred Kiiza, the Chief Warden of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area, who said investigations and official documentation indicate that the company extended its activities beyond the boundaries legally allocated for sugarcane cultivation.

According to Kiiza, UWA is reviewing activities by several individuals and entities operating within Bugoma Forest, including Hoima Sugar Factory and an entity identified as MZ, as part of ongoing investigations into alleged illegal activities in the protected area.

He revealed that since the government formally transferred the management of Bugoma Forest to the Uganda Wildlife Authority earlier this year, law enforcement operations have intensified, leading to the arrest of about 1,000 people for various illegal activities.

The offences, he said, include charcoal burning, illegal timber harvesting and cultivation of crops such as maize within the protected forest.

“The investigations are ongoing, and we are committed to ensuring that all illegal activities within Bugoma Forest are addressed in accordance with the law,” Kiiza said.

The renewed enforcement follows the government’s decision to place Bugoma Forest under the management of UWA as part of efforts to strengthen conservation and restore the degraded ecosystem.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja officially handed over the management of Bugoma Forest to the Uganda Wildlife Authority in line with a presidential directive aimed at enhancing the protection and sustainable management of the forest.

Bugoma Forest is one of Uganda’s most ecologically significant tropical forests, providing habitat for chimpanzees and other wildlife species while serving as an important water catchment area.

Responding to the allegations, Raj Sekarama Ramadoss, a representative of Hoima Sugar Factory, said the company remains committed to cooperating with the Uganda Wildlife Authority in protecting and managing Bugoma Forest.

He said the company is prepared to work closely with UWA to ensure its operations are conducted in compliance with the law while supporting conservation efforts.

The latest allegations add to the long-running debate over commercial activities in Bugoma Forest, where conservationists have repeatedly raised concerns about forest degradation and habitat loss, while government and private investors have argued that legally approved developments can coexist with environmental protection.