The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is calling on the government to engage with the charcoal traders and agree on a realistic roadmap.
This comes as Uganda introduces a strict ban on commercial charcoal burning and trade, primarily driven by presidential Executive Order No. 3 of 2023.
However, due to public outcry and economic pressures, parliament last week suspended the enforcement of this ban pending a comprehensive review.
Addressing the media at the party’s Headquarter in Najjankumbi, Kampala, the FDC Vice Chairperson Robert Centenary urged the government to consider a phased transition rather than high handed policing that causes widespread public alarm.
He added that the government must engage in genuine dialogue with all stakeholders, charcoal traders, local leaders, and affected communities, to help find a solution.
“The government needs to address the root cause. The state must look beyond scapegoating the informal sector and tackle the deep-seated institutional corruption, unregulated commercial hogging and the economic pressures that drive deforestation in the first place,” he said.
