The minister of Water environment and Forestry Maria Mutagamba has denied allegations that the Mabira forest was sold off as alleged.

Mutagamba says there were negotiations between the officials of the National Forestry Authority and a company identified as Midland, which wanted the authority to swap between Mabira and Rwamunda, which they claimed was bigger.

However NFA later discovered that the land was smaller than Mabira, and instead opted for a partnership between the two bodies.

She also says this would lead to the de-gazzetting of the forest for Eco- tourism projects.

She notes that the partnership was agreed between the two, which would require the issuance of a permit with a time frame outlining the terms of the deal and not a sale agreement.

The agreement is alleged to have been to a tune of 800 million Uganda shillings. Mutagamba also says she did not poke because they did not report to her there was a problem, and that she expects a report from the Authority on the issue.

She however refutes possibilities of the fact that the NFA scandal is a result of the deal, insisting it’s out of conflict of interest among the board members, an issue she says she is going to investigate.

Ultimate Media