Uganda's Democratic Party has proposed a three-year phased transition away from charcoal, arguing that an abrupt ban would harm households that cannot afford alternative cooking fuels. The proposal, outlined by party president general Norbert Mao at a press conference, distinguishes between charcoal produced through destructive forest harvesting and that made from deliberately planted trees using improved production methods. Mao, who serves as Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, said the government should support the shift towards cleaner cooking but must consider the economic circumstances of charcoal-dependent households. "It is not practical from the point of view of DP to say no more charcoal immediately," he said.
Charcoal remains essential to millions of Ugandans. A Makerere University Economic Policy Research Centre report published in March 2026 found that charcoal is the main cooking fuel for 70.6% of households in Kampala and 48.6% of urban households nationally. The charcoal trade is estimated to be worth approximately $580 million annually and supports around 200,000 livelihoods. Mao questioned why households should be restricted from using charcoal when affordable alternatives were not readily available, asking rhetorically what people should use instead.
The proposal comes as Parliament examines government restrictions on charcoal burning and trade. On October 14, Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth directed the government to suspend enforcement of restrictions pending a report from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development on the availability and uptake of alternative cooking fuels. A transition period would allow households time to adapt, though success would depend on whether alternatives such as liquefied petroleum gas, electric cooking, ethanol and biogas become more affordable and accessible.
Mao proposed four measures to support a transition: public education, affordable cooking gas, accessible distribution networks and government support. He specifically called for taxes on cooking gas to be removed, comparing the approach to tax relief used to promote solar energy adoption. Under his proposal, farmers would deliberately grow trees for charcoal production and use more efficient kilns to reduce waste, a model he said would protect forests while preserving livelihoods. Mao said the Democratic Party intended to consult stakeholders and promote national discussion on the proposal.
The government already restricts charcoal burning and trade in West Nile, Northern Uganda, Karamoja and the Teso sub-region under Executive Order No. 3 of 2023, citing the need to curb forest destruction. However, Parliament's directive to suspend enforcement reflected concerns about whether alternative fuels were sufficiently accessible to affected households. For Ugandans who depend on charcoal for cooking, the outcome of this debate will determine whether they face immediate restrictions or have time to afford and access alternatives.