The forthcoming meeting is expected to put Ssegawa and Dr. Lugero’s competing documents under scrutiny as the Lands Ministry seeks to establish the lawful status of the disputed property and determine what, if any, compensation may be due.
This year’s event is being held under the theme “Empowering the IK Community of Karamoja through Coffee Farming to End Poverty.” The theme reflects the organizers’ broader ambition to use coffee farming as a tool for economic empowerment while drawing attention to communities facing poverty and limited livelihood opportunities.
In 2018, the government, represented by the then State Minister for Environment, Dr. Mary Goreti Kitutu, halted the eviction of locals from three Mubende forests by the NFA. The minister directed the forestry body to embark on the degazetting process of these forests. These are Kasolo Forest Reserve in Kigando Sub County (3,244 hectares), Lusiba Forest Reserve in Nabingoola sub-county (670), and Muyinayina Forest Reserve.