The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi has challenged the government to explain what it has done to make alternative cooking fuels affordable and accessible to ordinary Ugandans before intensifying arrests linked to the charcoal trade.
Ssenyonyi said the renewed enforcement of President Yoweri Museveni's charcoal restrictions had created anxiety among traders and members of the public, particularly following warnings that motorists transporting charcoal, including for domestic use, and roadside vendors could face arrest.
The opposition leader was responding to the renewed enforcement of Museveni's directive on charcoal, which was first issued in 2023.
He argued that while environmental conservation is necessary, the government must demonstrate that it has made sufficient progress in providing affordable alternatives to charcoal and firewood, which remain widely used for cooking in Ugandan households.
“How aggressively are we making it possible for the ordinary persons out there to access alternative sources of energy?” Ssenyonyi asked.
Citing figures from the 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics survey, Ssenyonyi said between 87 and 94 per cent of Ugandans rely on charcoal and firewood for cooking.
He argued that the government cannot intensify enforcement without addressing the financial constraints faced by households that cannot afford alternative cooking fuels and technologies.
Ssenyonyi emphasised that the opposition supports efforts to protect the environment and restore Uganda's diminishing forest cover. However, he accused authorities of failing to adequately address forest encroachment, including alleged activities involving powerful individuals.
“We do agree with government when it comes to conservation of the environment, protecting our forest cover because it's gotten depleted over time,” he said.
He maintained that environmental protection measures should be accompanied by practical and affordable alternatives that enable households to transition away from charcoal and firewood.
The opposition leader questioned why the government was intensifying enforcement only now, several years after the directive was issued.
He challenged authorities to account for the interventions undertaken since 2023 to expand access to cleaner cooking technologies and make them affordable to low-income households.
“Within these three years, what has government been doing to say let's try and avail these alternatives cheaply to Ugandans before we can heavily crack the whip?” he asked.
The remarks come as authorities encourage households to adopt electricity and other cleaner cooking technologies as alternatives to charcoal.
The Electricity Regulatory Authority has promoted electric cooking among households with access to electricity, arguing that it can offer a more affordable cooking option under suitable circumstances.
However, Ssenyonyi questioned whether most Ugandans have the financial capacity to make the transition immediately, particularly where the cost of appliances, electricity connections and ongoing energy consumption remains a concern.
He argued that the availability of alternative technologies does not necessarily mean they are affordable or accessible to everyone.
Ssenyonyi also questioned Parliament's own practices, claiming that the parliamentary canteen continues to use charcoal to prepare meals for legislators.
He alleged that charcoal supplies are delivered to the canteen at night and over weekends, raising questions about the consistency between public support for alternative energy and actual institutional practices.
The opposition leader used the example to argue that policymakers should consider the realities facing ordinary households before assuming that switching to alternative cooking fuels is straightforward.
He cautioned MPs against judging the affordability of cleaner cooking technologies based on their own financial circumstances.
“Many Ugandans cannot afford it,” he said.
Ssenyonyi further warned that the charcoal crackdown comes at a time when many Ugandans are already facing economic pressures.
He cited exchange-rate movements, rising fuel prices and concerns among boda boda riders over proposed taxes as examples of challenges affecting households and small businesses.
He argued that the government should implement the charcoal restrictions with sensitivity because the policy affects not only household cooking costs but also the livelihoods of traders and others involved in the charcoal supply chain.
The renewed enforcement has therefore raised broader questions about how Uganda can pursue environmental conservation without placing an excessive burden on households that have limited access to affordable energy alternatives.
For the government, the restrictions are intended to curb environmental degradation and protect forest resources.
For critics such as Ssenyonyi, the central question is whether sufficient investment has been made in affordable alternatives before enforcement is intensified.