The Ministry of Water and Environment needs over 1,500 environmental rangers to protect the country’s wetlands, riverbanks, lakeshores and central forest reserves.
This revelation was made by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alfred Okidi while appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.
The meeting was chaired by Hon. Patrick Oshabe.
Okidi said the ministry currently relies on 238 police officers for patrols across the leaving a significant gap in enforcement.
Okidi said staffing shortages extended beyond environmental enforcement, with the climate change department operating at less than 30 per cent while forestry stood at 35 to 40 per cent.
He identified inadequate funding, difficulties in acquiring land and climate change as other major challenges saying the ministry received not more than 40 per cent of the resources required under its strategic plan, the Fourth National Development Plan and the government manifesto.
“If you look at our strategic plan, the requirements of NDP IV and manifesto requirements, we do not get the money to meet these mandates. We probably get not more than 40 per cent of what we really want to meet,” Okidi said.
On environmental conservation, he reported that forest coverage stood at 13.2 per cent while wetland coverage is 19.3 per cent.
Okidi also told MPs that rural water coverage stood at 72 per cent and urban coverage at 73 per cent withe 82 per cent of villages having at least one reliable water source.
The committee raised concerns about the ministry’s ability to extend water infrastructure to emerging towns whose populations have outgrown existing supply systems.
Oshabe asked how frequently the ministry updates its mapping of new urban centres and planned extensions to existing water supply systems citing Kasanda as an example of growing demand.
“There are so many new towns that are growing up that need a response. How often do you have a new map for urban planning? Secondly, how often do you do extensions?” Oshabe asked.
Okidi acknowledged the challenge saying the ministry planned to extend the Kasanda water supply scheme in this financial year.
He also called for increased tree cover to help communities cope with changing environmental conditions.
“With climate change and what we are seeing, if we had enough tree cover, some of the local environment situations would look a little bit better,” he said.
Mbale Industrial Division MP, Hon. Karim Masaba asked about the ministry’s preparedness for an El Niño event, particularly in highland areas where communities face climate-related risks.
“Because our people are at risk of dying especially in the highland areas of Bugisu, what preparations do you have in place?” Masaba said.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.