Boda boda rider transporting a customer and his charcoal bags to Mityana market. Photo by Joseph Kiggundu

By Joseph Kiggundu

KAMPALA — Parliament has suspended enforcement of the charcoal trade ban in parts of northern Uganda until the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development explains the implementation of the directive and outlines progress in promoting affordable alternative cooking fuels.

Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth issued the directive during a plenary sitting on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, giving the ministry until next Wednesday to present a statement on the ban and the availability of alternative energy sources.

“Government should come next Wednesday and update us on this ban, and tell us the extent of the performance by the ministry in promoting alternative energy sources,” Oboth said.

He added that enforcement should be suspended in the meantime, citing the difficulties authorities could face in implementing the ban without adequate alternatives for affected communities.

“I do that not because I support charcoal, but because I am aware of how difficult it is going to be for the enforcers,” he said.

The directive follows public concern over the enforcement of Presidential Executive Order No. 3, issued on May 19, 2023, which prohibits charcoal burning and trade in West Nile, Northern Uganda, Karamoja and the Teso sub-region.

Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi told Parliament that the announcement of enforcement had caused widespread alarm, questioning whether government had done enough to ensure households could access affordable alternatives to charcoal and firewood.

Speaker Oboth leaves House after the plenary sitting on Wednesday, 14 October 2026

Citing a 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) survey, Ssenyonyi said between 87 and 94 per cent of Ugandans rely on charcoal and firewood for cooking.

“How aggressively are we making it possible for ordinary persons to access alternative sources of energy? This directive was issued three years ago, but what has government done to avail these alternatives cheaply to Ugandans before we can heavily crack the whip?” he asked.

charcoal business woman waiting for customers

Cohen Amanya, the NRM MP for Igara County West, also questioned the legality of the ban and called for enforcement to remain suspended until Parliament enacted a law governing the matter.

“In the meantime, let the status quo be maintained until the minister comes with a statement,” Amanya said.

Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development in charge of Minerals, Phiona Nyamutooro, told the House that government was promoting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), electric cooking, ethanol and biogas as alternatives to traditional fuels.

She said government had introduced a special electricity tariff for cooking to encourage households to adopt electric cooking, while plans to produce LPG from the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil projects were expected to improve access to cleaner cooking fuels.

“As part of oil and gas production, LPG will be produced from both Tilenga and Kingfisher projects. We hope that this will help in improving the access to clean gas,” Nyamutooro said.

She added that the ministry was distributing free LPG cylinders and accessories to encourage households to switch to gas. The ministry’s Clean Cooking Unit was also conducting public awareness campaigns to address concerns about gas safety and cultural barriers to adoption.

However, Ssenyonyi questioned the effectiveness of the interventions, putting LPG uptake among the population at about two per cent. He argued that providing households with free cylinders was insufficient because many could not afford the cost of refilling them.

Government Chief Whip Jane Ruth Aceng said resolving the matter would require coordination among several government agencies and that the transition would have to be gradual.

“We cannot stop it outright, so we will have dialogue through the office of the Leader of Government Business with Ministry of Energy, to map a way forward to address it step by step,” Aceng said.

The suspension gives government time to explain how it intends to enforce the charcoal restrictions while ensuring that households dependent on wood fuel can access affordable alternatives. Parliament is expected to receive the energy ministry’s statement next Wednesday.