Water ministry, Jinja authorities to reopen Namavundu forest boundaries

What the report says

Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment and Jinja district leaders have agreed to begin reopening the boundaries of the Namavundu Central Forest Reserve, a 704-hectare protected area, as part of efforts to reduce encroachment and environmental degradation. The meeting took place at Jinja district headquarters on August 18 and was described as part of a wider five-year conservation programme for the Kalagala and Itanda Falls conservation area.

According to The Observer, the government-funded initiative is being led through the departments responsible for environmental management and forestry. It covers ecosystems in Kayunga, Kamuli, Buikwe and Jinja districts, as well as Jinja city, including riverbanks and the forest reserves at Namavundu, Itanda and Kalagala. Ministry officials said the boundary exercise is intended to be legal and consultative, not an eviction operation, and that surveyors will use original 1932 gazette plans to mark the reserve again.

District leaders said they would support the process and help stop illegal land titling in protected areas. The ministry also linked the exercise to broader government directives on protecting forests, wetlands and riverbanks. It said the programme will be paired with conservation management plans, environmental audits and licensing controls, alongside livelihood options such as beekeeping, sustainable biomass projects and free tree seedlings for residents. The effort reflects ongoing pressure on protected land in eastern Uganda and the government’s attempt to balance conservation with local economic needs.