Igara MP Kyampene Calls Charcoal Ban Supporters ‘Enemies of the People’

What the report says

Igara West MP Amanya Cohen Kyampene has criticised a proposed national charcoal ban, arguing that it could place added pressure on low-income households and small food businesses that still depend on charcoal for daily cooking. According to Nile Post, he said lawmakers backing the measure should not do so unless government first makes affordable alternatives available.

Kyampene made the comments during a weekend political talk show on BFM Radio in Bushenyi District. He questioned how families that rely on charcoal would manage if forced to switch to liquefied petroleum gas, saying gas remains too costly for many Ugandans. He also urged government to consider lowering or removing taxes on gas to make cleaner cooking more accessible.

The MP said the policy could affect more than household budgets. He warned that roadside food vendors and small-scale traders who roast meat, chicken and plantains for travellers in places such as Lukaya, Biharwe, Namawojjolo, Sanga and Akageeti could face higher operating costs if required to move to gas without support. He also raised concerns that changes in cooking habits could push families toward quicker, less nutritious meals.

While acknowledging the environmental concerns linked to charcoal production and deforestation, Kyampene said any restriction should come with practical transition measures. His remarks reflect the wider policy tension between reducing environmental damage and protecting livelihoods and affordability for low-income communities.