"Minister Anite accused of misleading President Museveni on Kitubulu Forest deal", Watchdog Uganda, 13 October 2025

[...] the State Minister for Finance and Privatization, Evelyn Anite, finds herself at the center of a heated controversy over the allocation of the pristine Kitubulu Central Forest Reserve in Entebbe to a Chinese investor.

The decision, which paves the way for the clearing of 150 acres of this vital tropical rainforest to make room for government offices, a shopping mall, and other commercial developments, has been framed by critics as a blatant betrayal of environmental stewardship.

At the heart of the furor is the allegation that President Yoweri Museveni [...] was deliberately misled about the land’s status as a protected forest, allowing Anite to secure his approval under false pretenses.

[...]

Conservationists now argue [...] the land in question is not barren real estate but a Category IV protected area under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), teeming with biodiversity and serving as a critical buffer for Lake Victoria.

This evergreen canopy rainforest [...] acts as a natural filtration system, trapping water pollutants and silt that threaten the lake basin’s fragile ecosystem. [...] its destruction would exacerbate Uganda’s alarming biodiversity loss.

Kitubulu’s mature trees, each producing oxygen for 10 people annually and absorbing up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, serve as vital carbon sinks in this densely populated, low-lying area.

Anite’s spotlight burns brightest here. As the deal’s architect, her facilitation of Zhang’s proposal raises questions about transparency and due diligence.