Police have announced fresh operations targeting people involved in the charcoal trade, intensifying enforcement of a presidential directive issued in August 2023. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's order prohibited tree-cutting for charcoal production and the buying and selling of charcoal in five northern regions: Acholi, Lango, Teso, Karamoja and West Nile. The government said the measure was designed to reduce deforestation and protect the environment.
The renewed crackdown has sparked worry among traders and consumers. Charcoal trader Juliet Namigadde in Makindye said prices have risen since restrictions began and traders now sell secretly to avoid arrest. The Uganda Charcoal Traders Association warned that enforcement threatens livelihoods. Association chair Eria Ssenyonjo stressed that the directive applies only to northern regions, not nationwide. He also alleged that some security personnel were extorting money from traders at roadblocks.
The northern regions targeted by the order supply charcoal to markets across Uganda, including cities. The restrictions have raised concerns about supply and affordability for households relying on charcoal as their main cooking fuel. Meanwhile, the Minister for Information and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, said the government would continue enforcing the directive to protect the environment.
Traders suggested imports from neighbouring countries and tree-planting schemes could provide longer-term solutions. The crackdown highlights the tension between environmental protection and the economic needs of traders and households dependent on charcoal for cooking.