By Aggrey Baba
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke has defended the renewed enforcement of the charcoal ban in northern Uganda, Karamoja and Teso, insisting that the police are merely implementing President Yoweri Museveni’s directive and should not be blamed for decisions they did not make.
Rusoke said the presidential directive, issued in May 2023, prohibits charcoal burning and commercial trade in West Nile, northern Uganda, Karamoja and the Teso sub-region, dismissing fears that the restrictions apply throughout the country.
During Uganda Police Force’s weekly press conference on Monday, Rusoke said his decision to inform the public about the enforcement exercise was intended to prepare affected communities and prevent confrontations with security personnel, but the announcement had instead attracted criticism.
“My intention was to make sure that instead of people being ambushed, finding themselves in a corner of an operation, it is good manners to inform them,” Rusoke said.
He argued that critics should distinguish between the role of security agencies in enforcing government directives and the responsibility of the authorities that formulate policies.
“As security agencies, we come in to enforce something that has already been decided by the authority that has that power to do so. We do not sit in our barrackses and make laws or policies,” he said.
The police spokesperson maintained that the operation was not a nationwide crackdown, clarifying that the restrictions apply to the specified regions rather than every part of Uganda.
The clarification comes amid public concern over the crackdown, particularly after police warned that people transporting charcoal from prohibited areas could face arrest, including motorists carrying small quantities for domestic use.
The controversy has also reached Parliament, where Speaker Jacob Oboth-Oboth on October 14 directed a suspension of enforcement pending a government statement on the ban and the availability of alternative cooking fuels.
Rusoke acknowledged that some concerns could be genuine but urged those affected to use the available channels to raise them. He said police would await guidance from the relevant authorities as the matter was taken up by Parliament.
He added that he had not yet obtained information on the measurable impact of the enforcement exercise and would need to consult the relevant officers before commenting on its results.
The dispute has exposed the challenge of enforcing restrictions on charcoal in regions where many households depend on it for cooking, while questions remain over access to affordable alternatives such as liquefied petroleum gas, electricity and biogas. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
