Police have assured charcoal dealers that the ongoing enforcement operation targeting the trade is not nationwide, urging those affected to remain calm and seek clarification through the relevant authorities.
Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said the operation was being conducted in line with a directive issued by President Yoweri Museveni, adding that security agencies were responsible for implementing government decisions rather than making policies themselves.
Speaking to journalists at Police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, on Monday, Kituuma said he had informed the public about the operation to ensure affected traders were not caught off guard.
“I wanted to make sure that instead of people being ambushed or finding themselves in a corner of an operation, they are informed,” he said.
Kituuma said his announcement was intended to address previous complaints from members of the public who have questioned why security agencies do not give advance notice of enforcement operations.
However, he expressed concern that his decision to communicate the exercise had attracted criticism, arguing that concerns about the directive should have been raised earlier.
He questioned why objections were emerging now, saying those opposed to the operation could have raised them in 2023, when the relevant order was issued.
The police spokesperson acknowledged that some traders could have genuine concerns but urged them to use established channels to seek clarification.
He also said he had not yet established whether any charcoal consignments had been impounded during the operation, adding that he would seek clarification on the matter.
Kituuma further revealed that the issue was expected to be discussed in Parliament, with security agencies awaiting feedback from the authorities responsible for the directive.
He reiterated that the operation should not be interpreted as a nationwide crackdown on charcoal dealers, urging the public to avoid unnecessary alarm.
“We do not sit in our barracks and make laws or policies,” Kituuma said, emphasising that security agencies enforce decisions made by the relevant authorities.
The operation has raised concerns among charcoal traders over its scope and possible effects on their businesses, with police maintaining that the exercise is limited rather than nationwide.
President Yoweri Museveni issued Executive Order No. 3 on May 19, 2023, which bans commercial charcoal burning and trade in specific regions—namely Northern Uganda, West Nile, Karamoja, and Teso sub-regions—to combat severe deforestation.
It is not a nationwide ban on household use as it has been highlighted by certain sections of the public.
