On 16 July 2023, Ugandan environmental and human rights defender, Desire Nkurunziza, was allegedly beaten by armed Hoima Sugar Ltd personnel who accused him of illegally cutting down sugar cane. He was then taken to the Kikuube police station, where he was arrested on the grounds of “incitement of violence” and “criminal trespass” and detained by the police for two days. On 24 July Nkurunziza was released on court bail awaiting trial in November.

As a member of the Save the Bugoma Forest Campaign (SBFC) community task force, Nkurunziza has been calling out the local and central government authorities for the deforestation of the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, which has been leased to the Hoima Sugar Limited company.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre was unable to contact Hoima Sugar Limited for a response.