ENTEBBE, Uganda — State Minister for Finance and Privatization Evelyn Anite finds herself at the center of a heated controversy over the allocation of the pristine Kitubulu Central Forest Reserve to a Chinese investor, a move that has ignited widespread outrage among environmentalists, civil society groups and urban residents.
The decision, which paves the way for clearing 150 acres of the vital tropical rainforest to make room for government offices, a shopping mall and other commercial developments, has been framed by critics as a blatant betrayal of environmental stewardship. At the heart of the furor is the allegation that President Yoweri Museveni, known for his public advocacy on conservation, was deliberately misled about the land’s status as a protected forest, allowing Anite to secure his approval under false pretenses.
The saga unfolded publicly last week when Anite announced the $500 million project led by Paul Zhang, chairman of the Tian Tang Group, a Chinese conglomerate with prior investments in Uganda’s industrial parks. Speaking after a meeting with the investors in Kampala, Anite described the initiative as a cornerstone of the government’s long-standing plan — first floated in 2018 — to decongest the capital, Kampala, by establishing an “alternative capital city” in Entebbe.
“Unless you are in a government-constructed facility, that office will have to move to Entebbe,” she declared, emphasizing the relocation of ministries, departments and agencies from rented private spaces to a new government campus. The development, she added, would include a state-of-the-art international conference center, a five-star hotel, an international school, hospitals and modern housing.
Zhang echoed Anite’s enthusiasm, crediting her directly for facilitating the deal. He recounted approaching the minister with a proposal to build an international conference center along with other amenities in Entebbe. Anite, in turn, escorted Zhang to the president, who reportedly greenlighted the allocation without fully grasping the ecological ramifications. Conservationists argue this was no oversight but a calculated omission: the land in question is a Category IV protected area under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), teeming with biodiversity and serving as a critical buffer for Lake Victoria.
Mayor Rulinda: A ‘Death Warrant’
The controversy drew a furious response from Entebbe Municipality Mayor Fabrice Brad Rulinda, who released a statement framing the issue as a defining moment for the community.
“There comes a time when a people must choose between what is easy and what is right,” Rulinda said. “For us, that moment stands at the edge of Kitubulu Forest, a quiet, green heartbeat that has protected Entebbe for generations.”
Rulinda emphasized the forest’s protective function. “Each time the rains come and the waters rise, it is Kitubulu that quietly absorbs the force,” he noted. “It takes the blow so that our homes, our roads, our hospitals, and our schools are not swallowed by floods… To destroy Kitubulu is to sign a death warrant for Entebbe’s ecological balance.”
He stressed that the proposed hotel project is “not urgent, nor is it necessary,” arguing that investment must never be detrimental to the environment or national interest. “We are not fighting development; we are fighting distortion. We are not resisting progress; we are resisting the arrogance that equates destruction with modernity,” the mayor said.
Ecological and Governance Crisis
Kitubulu’s value underscores the recklessness of the giveaway. The rainforest acts as a natural filtration system for Lake Victoria. For Kampala’s 1.7 million residents, Kitubulu represents a rare urban oasis, especially since Kampala lacks a single public natural park. Weekends draw over 2,000 young people for recreation amid its trails.
The environmental toll is significant. Kampala’s air quality crisis, ranked among the world’s worst, amplifies the stakes. According to the 2025 World Air Quality Report, the city placed 6th globally for PM2.5 pollution levels. Kitubulu’s mature trees, which absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, serve as vital carbon sinks. Clearing them would also intensify flooding risks.
This scandal is symptomatic of deeper rot in Uganda’s environmental governance. Global Forest Watch data reveals Uganda lost 80,000 hectares of humid primary forest between 2002 and 2024, with 7% of total tree cover vanishing in that span. Critics cite the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the National Forestry Authority (NFA) for enabling this, having shifted their focus to “sustainable management.” Half of the 506 central reserves under NFA management have been degraded this way.
Anite’s facilitation of the proposal raises questions about transparency. Conservation groups like the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) label it a “misleading sleight of hand.” Social media has erupted with the hashtag #SaveKitubulu, amplifying calls for accountability.
Demands for Urgent Reforms
Activists are demanding immediate intervention and urgent reforms. They call for:
- Revoking all concessions in natural forests, including Kitubulu and Bugoma, and enforcing zero-tolerance for conversions.
- Elevating forest protection to match wildlife conservation by merging UWA’s mandate into a new Uganda Flora and Fauna Authority.
- Accelerating the shift from charcoal — blamed for 40% of deforestation — to liquefied petroleum gas.
- Launching independent probes into implicated officials, starting with NFA and NEMA leadership, to root out corruption.
Anite’s defense that the project aligns with national decongestion goals rings hollow against the chorus of ecological peril. If the president was indeed misled, this episode exposes vulnerabilities in decision-making chains.
“Uganda stands at a crossroads: will it auction its green lungs to foreign capital, or reclaim them as a legacy for resilient cities? The answer hinges on swift accountability, lest Kitubulu join the annals of lost paradises, a cautionary tale of shortsighted ‘development,” said Mayor Rulinda.
