By Esther Gune

Adjumani District leaders have called for the eviction of illegal occupants from Zoka Central Forest Reserve and clear demarcation of its boundaries, as concerns grow over the protection of the forest and land disputes affecting surrounding communities.

The calls follow President Yoweri Museveni’s concerns about the state of the forest after observing the area from a helicopter during his visit to Adjumani on September 15, 2026.

Akuku Charles Anzo, the NRM chairperson for Adjumani District, appealed to the President to intervene in the land disputes around Zoka, saying clear demarcation was necessary to establish the limits of the protected reserve.

Anzo called for the forest boundaries to be clearly marked to distinguish protected land from neighboring community and private land.

He said: “We need clear demarcation of the forest boundaries so that people can know where the forest ends and the neighboring land begins.”

Anzo said government intervention was necessary to address the disputes and strengthen the protection of the reserve.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Okware, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Adjumani, described the encroachment as an organized form of land grabbing rather than ordinary invasion of the forest.

“What is happening is not just ordinary encroachment. It appears to be an organized way of grabbing land,” Okware said.

He called on the relevant authorities to take decisive action to prevent further encroachment and destruction of the protected area.

Asara Janet, the District Local Councilor representing Itirikwa Sub-county, urged district leaders to officially announce plans to evict people occupying the forest illegally.

Janet said: “The district leadership should come out clearly and announce the eviction of those occupying the forest illegally so that the responsible authorities can take the necessary action.”

She said a clear announcement will provide direction for enforcement and help the authorities move forward with the proposed eviction.

However, the Vice Chairperson of Adjumani District, Hon. Obulejo Geoffrey, called for fairness in enforcing the law against forest encroachment.

He said: “If the law is to be implemented against people encroaching on the forest, it should be applied equally to everyone without discrimination.”

The leaders’ demands point to two challenges facing authorities: protecting the forest from illegal occupation and resolving disputes over the boundaries separating the reserve from neighboring land.

Zoka Central Forest Reserve is an important natural resource in the West Nile sub-region. Protecting it requires coordinated action by the district leadership, the National Forestry Authority and other relevant government agencies.

However, the leaders’ calls have not established the scale of encroachment, the number of people affected or whether an official eviction date has been set.

The National Forestry Authority and district leadership need to clarify the legal boundaries of the reserve, the evidence of encroachment and the steps planned to address the disputes.

They also need to explain how any eviction will be conducted and how the law will be applied fairly to all affected occupants.

President Museveni’s concerns have renewed attention on Zoka Forest, but the lasting impact of the renewed attention will depend on whether government agencies translate the calls into clear boundaries, transparent enforcement and effective protection of the reserve.

END.