Minister Balaam threatens to resign

The newly appointed State Minister for Youth Affairs, Balaam Barugahara has threatened to resign over the destruction of Budongo forest. 

Speaking to media at the residence of the European Union ambassador to Uganda yesterday, the minister who hails from Masindi, Bunyoro region was aghast with the crooked ways of some unscrupulous people he did not name.

“A fraudster using Bunyoro Kingdom has gone to Buliisa district and secured minutes that allow him to curve off 700 square kilometers for sugarcane growing. I have never seen madness!” 

“I called Bunyoro Kingdom, Minister of environment, NFA…and I said, this can’t be! If it means to resign, I’ll resign and go and defend Budongo!” 

Barugahara went on to raise concern with the oil development projects in his home area of Bunyoro; “where there is fuel, there is heat. For us to manage that heat, we need to preserve that forest…so we need to resist!” 

He goes ahead in the video to say that he’ll raise the issue with the president. “We don’t need to entertain that thuggery again!”

Budongo forest is 825 square kilometers. Hiving off 700sq kilometers would mean the forest remains at a paltry 125sq kilometers.

Budongo is UNESCO – designated Biosphere Reserve, and one of the largest forests in the country with an enviable spectrum of biodiversity including mahogany trees, chimpanzees, various bird species and butterflies.

The Bunyoro area is blessed with various forests and reserves but the ecosystem is being threatened by destructive human practices.

Various other forests and reserves are being destroyed by encroachers in the area.

Bugoma forest, another pillar of Bunyoro’s ecosystem has been allotted by Kikuube District Local Government to Hoima Sugar Ltd for sugarcane growing. 

In his budget speech yesterday, the Minister of finance, Planning and Economic development, Matia Kasaija lamented to the speaker of parliament that climate change and its adverse effects will hamper Uganda’s growth targets significantly.