Synopsis

This is a case study of Butamira Forest Reserve in Uganda in which a Member of Parliament became the torch bearer of the poor tree farmers as they were faced with hostility from government officials and a manipulative private company

Executive Summary

The overall objective of this study is to analyze cases where Members of Parliament have taken the concerns of their electorates to Parliament. The Butamira Forest Reserve has been selected as the case study. The Forest Reserve which is located in Kagoma Constituency in Jinja District of Uganda has been a subject of controversy for many years. The local authorities and later the local tree farmers were pitied against a corporate company engaged in sugarcane plantation development. The controversy reached its apex in 2001 when the Company obtained a permit allowing it to destroy the trees planted by local tree farmers and replace them with a sugarcane plantation. The area MP Hon. Frank Nabwiso became the torch bearer of the poor tree farmers as they were faced with hostility from government officials and a manipulative private company.