A few weeks ago, an emotional retired Makerere University Chemistry Don Prof. DesderioKasujja shed tears as he narrated how some highly connected powerful people cleared 10,050 Eucalyptus trees he had planted at Kajjansi Forest Reserve in Wakiso district. The trees cleared in March 2016 also had 150 bee hives. The Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters visited the contested Kajjansi Forest Reserve part of which the National Forestry Authority leased to professor Kasujja in 1997 to plant trees. At the site, the Commissioners found out that what was previously a forest was now vast land covered by shrubs. Some of the people accused of cutting down the trees without following the right procedures included businessman Ephraim Ntagandaand his brother SedrickSengoza.

The first official on the spot was the Forestry Supervisor Charles Ochandu of the National Forestry Authority. “When farmers started harvesting their trees, it was March.” Said the Forestry Supervisor. “...because Mr. Kasujja suggested that his trees were not harvested by him.” “No, because those are personal issues.” Said the Forestry Supervisor. “So, you wouldn’t know?” “So I wouldn’t really know.” Said the Forestry Supervisor. “It’s a lie. Would you like to look at this, I wrote on the 14th of March to Mr. Mugisha himself and he denied before the Commission having knowledge of it. You are liars.” Said, Prof. Kasujja.

Even if somebody owned trees that were planted on the NFA land and had matured before cutting them down there was a procedure that had to be followed. And one of them was to ensure that there was a replanting plan and in this case here in Kajjansi that wasn’t followed yet there was an area supervisor of NFA on the ground but did nothing about it.
“How long might they have taken to finish all this?” Asked, Justice Catherine Bamugemereire. “It was more than a month.” Replied the Forestry Supervisor. “More than a month, where were you from the time they started to the time they ended? Now you don’t even see one tree, where were you? You were supposed to look after these trees.” Asked, Justice Catherine. “Madam, I came in that very moment when the activity was ongoing and I complained to them; why they were doing so?” Replied the Forestry Supervisor. “Why were you just complaining, why were you not instructing because that’s your job?” Asked, Justice Catherine.

The Commission also intensively questioned Michael Mugisha, the Executive Director of National Forestry Authority. “There is a reason why you licensed them? Why it is your central Forest Reserve? Am really getting concerned to whether you understand your job?” Asked one of the Commissioners. “...When I license a person to come and invest in the Forest Reserves and do their business on tree planting...” Replied the Executive Director NFA.

The Forestry Authority was blamed for putting business before there are cardinal Constitutional mandate, the preservation of the forest and conservation of the environment. Meanwhile, the top managers of the Forestry Watchdog couldn’t make critical decisions because the mandate of the governors expired in July.