Impounded charcoal goes missing from Kitgum police stations

Northern Uganda has, from time out of mind, relied on firewood and charcoal as its primary cooking fuel.

Ocitti Dayan, the councillor for Lalano Sub-county, was dismayed by what he views as a snap decision shrouded in mystery regarding the auctioning of the charcoal. He says that although charcoal has been impounded, it seems to have vanished like the morning mist.

“Several bags of charcoal have been impounded, but there is no proper trace of what is happening in Kitgum. Why is it being taken to Lira?” he questioned.

Charles Olweny, the councillor from Namokora Sub-county, added to this clamour by casting doubt on the wisdom of a charcoal auction in Lira.

Atto Mary, the Secretary for Production, Marketing, and Natural Resources, and a councillor from Mucwini East, was also incredulous, saying charcoal impounded in Kitgum should be auctioned in Kitgum, rather than sent to another district.

The councillors’ concern was set off in alarm mode last week when a truck registration number UAT 031L carrying 369 bags of charcoal was impounded in Orom sub-county. Initially, the truck was headed to the 505 Brigades in Pajimo before being rerouted to Lira.

Geoffrey Oguti, Kitgum’s Assistant Resident District Commissioner in charge of Chua East, attempted to allay fears issued by the councillors, saying the decision to reroute the bags of charcoal to Lira was made by the Office of the President. He said the President’s Office was responding to voices raised amongst residents in Kitgum that charcoal was disappearing from police stations.

“All district leaders from where these charcoals were impounded will be invited to Lira to discuss how the charcoals will be auctioned and how the proceeds can be remitted to the respective districts,” Oguti said.

The sale of charcoal in the northern region has led to deforestation and exposed people to the deleterious effects of climate change.

Consequently, last year in May, President Yoweri Museveni issued Executive Order No. 3 banning large-scale commercial charcoal production and trade in Northern Uganda.

This led to an uptick in charcoal prices with a single bag in Gulu costing Shs90,000—in a region where 43.8% of the population lives in poverty, according to the 2019/2020 Uganda National Housing Survey.