Residents pin security on Imaramagambo forest destruction
Residents neighbouring Karinju, Kasyoha Kitomi and Imaramagambo natural forests have blamed the security personnel for conniving with encroachers to destroy the natural forest.
Speaking at a one-day workshop organized by Anti -corruption coalition in partnership with Worldwide Fund for Nature, participants said that security personnel have kept deaf ears to encroachers even when they report to them, no action is taken.
Didas Amanya, one of the participants pined officials from the National Forestry Authority saying rangers who are manning the forests are protecting wrong doers and when they report to authorities, the officials start threatening to shoot them.
While closing the workshop, Robert Atuhairwe, the RDC Bushenyi district admitted that there is a security gap in manning and reserving the forest saying as the security committee in the district have already requested the UPDF to boost the manpower and improve security on the Forest.
Statistics showed that over 1580 hectares were destroyed in Karinju Kasyoha Kitomi forest.
