Vendors, low-income households and city leaders warn that banning charcoal before making gas and electricity affordable could threaten livelihoods, disrupt small businesses and leave vulnerable families struggling to cook.
Residents, charcoal vendors and local leaders in Mbarara City have opposed the proposed nationwide charcoal ban, arguing that liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and electricity remain too expensive or unreliable for many households and small businesses.
They want the government to make cleaner cooking alternatives affordable and accessible before enforcing restrictions that could affect livelihoods, particularly among low-income families and informal traders who depend on charcoal for daily cooking.
In Katete, a busy trading centre in Mbarara City South, small stalls selling chips, chapati and roasted plantain, locally known as gonja, line the streets in the evenings, with many traders relying on charcoal stoves to prepare food.
Patience Natumanya, a Katete resident, said charcoal remained the most practical option for people whose earnings fluctuate from day to day.
“Most of us survive on small daily earnings, and charcoal is the only fuel we can buy in small quantities according to what we have in hand,” Natumanya said.
She added that switching to gas or electricity would be difficult for households already struggling to meet basic expenses.
“Switching to gas or electricity is impossible for us right now because a single gas refill costs more than our entire weekly food budget,” she said.
Alex Abireebe, another Mbarara resident, warned that an immediate ban could undermine small food businesses that depend on charcoal for continuous cooking.
“If they ban charcoal today, most of street food business will collapse instantly. Electricity goes off unexpectedly, and gas is far too expensive to run continuously for commercial cooking. We need realistic solutions, not immediate bans,” Abireebe said.
Mbarara City Deputy Mayor Ronald Taremwa Bamuhayira said the government needed to address gaps in energy access before pushing households and businesses to abandon charcoal.
“The government is moving too fast without fixing the underlying issues. Many areas across Mbarara City still lack reliable electricity connections, while only a small fraction of our population can afford solar power infrastructure and gas technology,” Bamuhayira said.
He warned that enforcing the policy before addressing these challenges could disrupt household incomes and force small businesses to close.
Bernard Musinguzi, who has sold charcoal for 17 years, said the trade had helped him support his family. He urged the government to consider consumers who struggle to afford even small quantities of charcoal.
“I have customers who come wanting charcoal for Shs500 because they can't afford Shs1,000. Will that person afford gas and electricity to cook?” Musinguzi asked.
Abireebe said the government should consider reducing taxes and other costs associated with gas and electricity to make them more accessible before imposing restrictions on charcoal.
“Let the government consider reducing the tax on gas and electricity, make it affordable for everyone and accessible, then they can pass the law to ban charcoal,” he said.
Community leaders are urging policymakers to adopt a gradual transition to cleaner cooking fuels, including measures to make LPG more affordable, improve electricity access and support households that cannot immediately afford alternative technologies.
Their concerns highlight the challenge facing the government as it seeks to reduce dependence on charcoal while ensuring that low-income households and informal businesses can continue to meet their basic cooking needs.