The Third deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Nakadama has directed National Forestry Authority to halt ongoing demolitions of homes and other developments in Mayuge on land gazetted for a forest reserve.
Nakadama's intervention followed an outcry by locals after an NFA enforcement team attacked and demolished homes of locals who had resettled in one of the villages set to be degazetted from a forest reserve as directed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni over 13 years ago.
In 2010, President President Museveni directed that 48 villages, which were initially part of the forest reserve, be returned to the local communities.
However, the directive has remained unimplemented as NFA continues to claim ownership of the land, leading to tensions between the authority and the locals.
On June 23, 2024, the NFA enforcement team stormed two villages in the sub counties of Kityerera and Malongo demolishing homes and attacking locals who had resettled in the area.
"We were caught off guard in the wee hours and started firing bullets and de-roofing our houses. We thought the president's directive was enough to guarantee our stay here but now, we're left with nothing," said one of the locals.
The attack left many homeless.
As this state of affairs continued, the third deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Nakadama intervened when she convened a meeting between locals, district leaders and NFA officials.
The Prime Minister urged NFA to immediately halt the demolitions , citing the president's earlier directive to return the land to the communities.
"We cannot continue to see our people suffer," said Nakadama.
"The president's directive was clear, and we must respect it. The NFA must stop the demolitions and work with the communities to find a lasting solution. We are to meet as stakeholders and I intend to task NFA to foot expenses of the affected persons."
Michael Okot the manager south Busoga forest reserve present at the meeting agreed to comply with the Prime Minister's directive, promising to cease all demolitions and eviction efforts pending further negotiations with the communities.
The district leaders and community representatives welcomed the development, expressing hope that the move would bring an end to the long-standing dispute.
