President Yoweri Museveni has ordered for the cancellation of land titles in the Kitubulu Central Forest Reserve, citing corruption within the National Forestry Authority and the need to protect Lake Victoria.
Kitubulu Central Forest Reserve is a protected area located in Entebbe in Central Uganda.
it is an important forest ecosystem that is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna gazetted in 1932 to protect Lake Victoria and the environment.
In a letter to Water and Environment Minister Sam Cheptoris, Museveni said his previous approval of a shopping mall, hotel and mini-city in the reserve was based on wrong information.
He therefore directed the ministry to halt all tree cutting immediately and move urban development projects outside the forest boundaries.
The 200-acre reserve in Entebbe serves as a critical filter for pollutants and silt entering Lake Victoria. It also acts as a windbreak for the Entebbe peninsula and provides a habitat for more than 70 bird species, including the African grey parrot.
Museveni criticized the NFA for failing its mandate, noting that Uganda lost 1.1 million hectares of natural forest between 2004 and 2025.
He specifically referenced past scandals, including the case of former NFA Executive Director Damian Akankwasa, to highlight what he described as a history of collusion between officials and illegal timber traders.
The presidential directive follows a local go-green campaign led by Entebbe Mayor Fabrice Rulinda and Katabi Town Council Mayor Ronald Kalema. The leaders launched the initiative after private developers began clearing land in October.
Rulinda praised the decision, stating that the forest is a living barrier for thousands of residents living along the lakeshore.
NFA spokesperson Aldon Walukamba said the agency originally approved five ecotourism projects on 60 hectares of the reserve in 2023. However, the NFA moved to cancel those offers after investors diverted from conservation plans to pursue commercial construction.
Walukamba blamed the Ministry of Lands for the crisis, alleging the ministry ignored requests to cancel 438 illegal land titles nationwide, including eight within Kitubulu.
Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba defended her office, stating that while the ministry prints the titles, the application process begins with district-level land boards. She added that court orders often stall the cancellation of fraudulently acquired titles.
Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, a presidential advisor and former vice president, called for the imprisonment of public officials involved in the giveaways to prevent the government from losing resources to protracted legal battles.