Security forces have impounded a truck loaded with charcoal near Mt. Kei Forest Reserve in Lube Sub-county, Yumbe District, as enforcement against commercial charcoal trade intensifies.
The truck was impounded at around 11pm on Thursday, November 5, 2026, by officers from the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF).
According to Major Joseph Omoji, the truck owners initially fled the scene but later returned in the morning and cooperated with security personnel to facilitate the transfer of the vehicle to Arua Central Police Station.
The operation comes amid the government's restrictions on commercial charcoal trade, aimed at curbing environmental degradation and protecting forest reserves across the country.
The restrictions are provided for under President Yoweri Museveni's Executive Order No. 3 of May 19, 2023, which targets commercial charcoal production and trade as part of efforts to address environmental destruction.
Authorities have continued to enforce the restrictions, particularly in areas where illegal charcoal activities threaten forest resources.
By Peter Candia |NBS WESTNILE TV | Daily West Nile
