Alebtong leaders Launch Crackdown on Illegal Shea Tree Destruction

28 May 2026, 5:27 pm

By Denish Ongora

Security and community leaders in Alebtong District have intensified a major environmental protection operation targeting the illegal cutting of shea trees for charcoal production.

The crackdown, that was launched in Amugu Sub-county, uncovered widespread destruction of shea trees, including 30 freshly cut stems found in a single garden in Akamdini Village, Abongatin Parish.

Authorities also reported several other cases of illegal tree felling across the sub-county.

As part of the operation, the LC1 Chairperson of Akamdini Village, Alfred Okello, was arrested.

The Assistant Resident District Commissioner of Alebtong, Jimmy Okello, said the village leader was apprehended for allegedly condoning the destruction of the protected trees and accepting bribes from charcoal dealers and tree poachers.

Okello emphasized that shea trees are environmentally and economically important species that must be protected under national conservation laws.

He noted that local leaders are required to notify the District Forestry Officer whenever a shea tree needs to be cut due to disease, drying, or the risk of collapse.

He warned that unauthorized cutting of shea trees is illegal and violates Executive Order No. 3 of 2023 issued by President Yoweri Museveni to safeguard the environment and curb deforestation.

Authorities suspect that some of the people behind the illegal trade are charcoal dealers from the neighboring Teso sub-region, who reportedly use power saws to cut the trees before converting them into charcoal.

One incident that particularly angered local leaders involved the alleged collaboration between poachers and the leadership of Amugu Quran Primary Seven School to cut down a shea tree within the school compound.

The operation has mainly focused on the parishes of Abunga, Omee, and Abongatin in Amugu Sub-county, where cases of illegal shea tree destruction have reportedly become rampant.

The LC3 Chairperson of Amugu Sub-county, Ojom David, said many of the suspected poachers are coming from Amuria District.

He also accused some LC1 chairpersons of frustrating environmental protection efforts by accepting bribes from those involved in the illegal charcoal trade.

District leaders have vowed to sustain the crackdown and ensure that all individuals involved in the destruction of shea trees are arrested and prosecuted as part of broader efforts to protect biodiversity, combat deforestation, and preserve the region’s natural resources.