By Gerald Tenywa and Geresom Musamali

Environmental activists have treated with skepticism the new cabinet paper on Mabira Forest.

The new document, drafted by the environment ministry and published by the Sunday Vision, highlights environmental and legal concerns that go with axing part of the forest for sugar cane production, contrary to the first paper which focused on the economical benefits.

“The new cabinet paper raises all the relevant environmental issues and it is therefore better than the previous one,” commented Godber Tumushabe of Action Coalition for Development and Environment.

“It does not, however, address the legality of the degazettement.”

According to the Coalition, the country’s natural resources constitutionally belong to the people of Uganda and should be left intact.

Research officer Onesmus Mugenyi said they would continue to pursue their court case against the planned degazettement.

Others were cautiously optimistic. “It that is a change of heart, then it is very welcome,” said Emmanuel Dombo, the chairperson of the natural resources committee in Parliament. “I appeal to the cabinet to give us enough time, study the paper and listen to the concerns of the environmentalists before taking a decision.”

He noted that the Parliament in 2005 amended the law to limit the power of degazettement, following abuses by the then minister of natural resources. He cited the give-away of the Butamira Forest to the Madhvani Group and of the Bugala Island Forests to BIDCO as illegal moves.

The new Mabira paper is scheduled to be discussed by the cabinet this week, after which it will be sent to the Parliament for a final decision. Most ministers and a majority of MPs are said to be opposed to the planned give-away of one quarter of Mabira Forest.