The Uganda Forestry Association (UFA) has expressed dismay at being ignored by the government in offering part of Mabira Central forest for sugar growing.
UFA, a non-governmental professional organization has a membership of over 140 foresters of which 100 are professionals in the forestry sector.
The association President Ambrose Kyaroki said the proposal to give away Mabira was hatched without consulting stakeholders in the forestry sector.
"We are not against the development but we want to remind the President that clear procedures should have been followed before arriving at such a proposal," said Mr Kyaroki. "Parliament and us (foresters) are key stakeholders who could not have been left out and shall write to him (the president) soon through the line ministry to express our dissatisfaction."
He was speaking at the UFA Annual General Meeting at Makerere University.
The government through President Yoweri Museveni recently decided to allocate 7,100 hectares of Mabira forestland to the Sugar Corporation of Uganda (Scoul) for sugarcane growing.
Scoul said it wanted the 7,100 hectares in order to boost its sugar production capacity from the current 50,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes.
Early this month, President Museveni defended the move saying, "It is on account of the urgent need for industrialising our backward but rich country in terms of natural resources and raw materials."
The President said this backwardness is due to absence of industries.
Mabira, which covers 29,964 hectares of tropical moist forest, is one of the largest natural forests in the country and a significant water catchment area for Lake Victoria and Kyoga.
The government 's decision to give away forestland is a repeat of events where the Butamira forest reserve in Jinja was successfully allocated to Kakira Sugar Works against protests from residents in the area.
The government had proposed to de-gazette part of the Pian Upe Game reserve in Karamoja and Nakapiripirit districts in favour of M/S Africa Integrated Company but due to civil society intervention, the process was halted.The Monitor (Kampala) via AllAfrica.com
