By Zoe Mbejjo | July 21, 2026
The Ministry of Water and Environment has partnered with the Rotary Clubs of Kampala Central and Bunga to restore 100 hectares of the Bukaleba Central Forest Reserve in a renewed effort to safeguard Lake Victoria and strengthen Uganda’s environmental resilience.
The partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, marking a significant step towards restoring degraded forest landscapes while addressing the growing threats of soil erosion, siltation and biodiversity loss.
Located within one of Uganda’s critical ecological zones, the Bukaleba Central Forest Reserve plays an important role in protecting the Lake Victoria basin. Restoring the forest is expected to reduce sediment flowing into the lake, improve water quality, protect fragile ecosystems and create a healthier habitat for wildlife.
Officials said the initiative is aligned with the Ministry of Water and Environment’s broader environmental conservation agenda, which prioritises forest landscape restoration, watershed protection and climate resilience across the country.
The project also complements Uganda’s Forest Landscape Restoration Implementation Hub, a national platform established to accelerate restoration commitments and translate them into practical action on the ground. Through coordinated partnerships, the hub seeks to reclaim degraded landscapes, expand forest cover and enhance ecosystem services that support livelihoods and sustainable development.
Environmental experts have consistently warned that continued forest degradation around the Lake Victoria catchment threatens water security, fisheries, agriculture and biodiversity. Restoration efforts such as the Bukaleba initiative are therefore expected to contribute not only to conservation but also to long term socio-economic resilience.
The collaboration underscores the growing role of public private and community partnerships in advancing environmental stewardship, demonstrating how government institutions and civic organisations can work together to protect Uganda’s natural resources for future generations.
