Authors : A.C. Otieno, R.A. Kapiyo, B.O. Oindo and M. Buyinza
Abstract: De-legitimization of policies on natural resources manifested in non-compliance and ineffective enforcement in developing countries has a bearing on the new competitive political dispensation amongst these countries, Uganda inclusively. The natural resources have been dished out as handouts by politicians or through political influence hence their petering out, hither to government forest reserves inclusively. A study of 344 households engulfing and within South Busoga Central Forest Reserve, Mayuge district and 31 conservationists forming the government regulatory system showed that there was a low correlation between government regulatory system and the local community’s compliance with the Uganda Forestry Policy 2001 at 0.471. The SWOT analysis showed that strengths were slightly higher than weakness where insufficient power and corruption usurped the strengths of National Forestry Authority (NFA) in its enforcement. It was also found that local politicians usurped both the powers and authority of NFA in enforcement of UFP 2001 hence, rendering NFA officials incompetent. The local communities were positive towards compliance at Likert scale rate 360 willing to stop, 305 very much willing to comply with the policy while 320 some what willing. Thus to avoid de-legitimization of the UFP 2001, there was a need to have a positive political will.
A.C. Otieno, R.A. Kapiyo, B.O. Oindo and M. Buyinza, 2012. Compliance and Enforcement of Environmental Policies on Natural Resources in Uganda: Perspectives from South Busoga Forest Reserve. Environmental Research Journal, 6: 81-93.