Published on 05/09/2024
The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, urged for the removal of protected status on part of Gulu Central Forest to allow Gulu University’s expansion prioritizing education over conservation. The proposal sparks a debate between development and environmental preservation.
Tayebwa expressed concern that land was offered to the university following a presidential directive in 2020 which has not been heeded to.
“Yesterday, I visited Gulu University and there is a critical pending issue. Degazettement of land meant for construction of a teaching hospital. This is land given by government and the presidential directive was very clear,” Tayebwa said while chairing the plenary sitting in Gulu City, on 30 August 2024.
In 2020, President Yoweri Museveni directed the then Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda to degazzete 70 acres of Gulu Central Forest Reserve for expansion of the University.
Parliament in 2021 passed a resolution approving the degazettement of the land.
The Deputy Speaker directed the Ministry of Lands and Urban Planning to expeditiously respond to the presidential directive.
“Within two weeks, action should be taken, the university has fulfilled what was required of them. This is government property, government borrowed money from the African Development Bank for degazettement of this land,” Tayebwa added.
The land is expected to host the Faculties of Medicine, Agriculture, Environment, research laboratories and a hostel.
