The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) 5th Infantry Division has distributed impounded charcoal to vulnerable households in Lira City as part of ongoing enforcement of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s directive against commercial charcoal production in Northern Uganda.
The handover exercise, led by Division Commander Maj Gen Keith Katungi, follows months of operations conducted under the Executive Order issued on 19 May 2023 in Baralegi Parish, Otuke District. The directive was prompted by concerns from leaders over rampant environmental destruction linked to commercial charcoal burning.
According to the Division, more than 120 trucks ferrying illegal charcoal have been intercepted since enforcement began. The seized charcoal had been stored at Lira Military Barracks pending guidance, before the leadership—working with Lira Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Egole Lawrence—resolved to distribute it to needy residents.
Maj Gen Katungi said the exercise aligns with the broader national campaign to restore Uganda’s degraded environment.
“Since 1960, Uganda has lost over 60% of its forest cover due to charcoal burning and deforestation. This operation is part of our duty to reverse that trend and protect the country’s future,” he said.
RCC Egole commended the UPDF for conducting the operation with integrity, noting that troops had turned down bribe attempts from charcoal dealers seeking to flout the executive order. He warned that offenders risk prosecution and the auctioning of their impounded trucks.
Authorities reiterated their call for the public to take an active role in protecting natural resources, warning that continued environmental abuse will worsen degradation and contribute to global warming.
