The National Forestry Authority (NFA) Executive Director, Mr Tom Okello, reveals that the Authority will tomorrow Tuesday, February 21, 2023, start the boundary re-opening exercise of Kandanda Ngobya Central Forest Reserve (CFR) in Buraru Sub-county, Hoima District.
This is after the exercise took too long a time to commence as NFA waited for consensus from Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.
In his communication dated February 14, 2023, the ED says the exercise will be done in the presence of NFA survey technocrats, the Hoima district local government survey staff and Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Lands Officer.
This, according to Mr Okello, is in accordance with kingdom letter dated December 28, 2022, to the NFA range manager Budongo systems range.
The NFA claims that farmers especially in Buraru sub-county encroached on 2,556ha of the forest as Hoima district leaders conflicted over the purported processing of a fraudulent land title around the conservation area which NFA Kisindi Sector Manager, Mr Alex Obonyo, in July 2022, said was enough to cause worry.
He urged Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom to expedite its connection with the locals who link their presence in the disputed areas to kingdom land offers and also define the kingdom interest and as well allow the resumption of the boundary re-opening exercise.
The exercise to re-open Kandanda Ngobya CFR boundary had begun at the end of 2020 but before long, it was halted after surveying about five kilometres.
The halt was linked to the heated politics during the general election campaign.
Now, NFA ED Mr Okello, urges Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom to cooperate as NFA team will be available starting tomorrow Tuesday till the end of the boundary re-opening exercise is completed.
