Prime
Museveni orders cancellation of titles in Lwera wetland
View. An aerial view of a section of Lwera wetland that has been encroached on. President Museveni has said government will cancel land titles issued to individuals in Lwera and other wetlands in Masaka Sub-region. PPU PHOTO
President Museveni has said government will soon cancel land titles issued to individuals in Lwera and other wetlands in Masaka Sub-region.
Mr Museveni while popularising his wealth creation campaign in Masaka sub-region on Tuesday said wetlands are part of public land which should not be owned by individuals for their selfish interests.
“Those that acquired titles in Lwera, they are also going to be cancelled. I am going to follow up the matter with Ministry of Lands because no one is allowed to acquire a land title in wetlands. Also those who have titles on Bigobyamugenyi cultural site land will be evicted from these areas,” Mr Museveni said while addressing a press conference at Masaka State Lodge.
The President’s remarks were prompted by a question about an eviction notice to more than 1,000 people at Makukulu Village in Lyantonde District who are occupying government land.
In an April 26 eviction notice issued by the ministry of Agriculture addressed to the secretary of the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters, more than 1,000 people at Makukulu Village were given a 90-day ultimatum to vacate and allow the ministry to repossess its land by July 31.
The disputed land used to house Makukulu Veterinary Field Station.
Bigobyamugenyi is a cultural heritage site at Kabeho Village, Ntuusi Sub-county in Sembabule District.
It is believed to have been the capital of the Chwezi Dynasty and the Bachwezi allegedly possessed supernatural powers that would enable them disappear mysteriously.
“… who are those settling in Bigobyamugenyi? They are going to be chased away by gods even before government and court move in to evict them, it’s a place for the Bachwezi, they will work upon them,” the President added.
Mr Museveni’s remarks come a week after Daily Monitor published a story that National Environment Management Authority (Nema ) had cleared Chinese investors operating in Lwera to expand their rice fields on Block 184 Plot 254, 255, 256, and 258, Magezi-Kizungu ward Lukaya Town Council, Kalungu District.
However, Nema in the Environmental Impact Assessment certificate issued to investors dated December 21, 2018, warned the investors against extending their rice fields to plots 404, 406, located in Kamuwunga A Village and Plots 337 and 336 located in Bulingo C Village, insisting that these areas are located in Lake Victoria.
On the other part of Lwera located in Mpigi District, there are also individual businessmen and companies that acquired titles and are engaging in sand mining and fish farming.
Before addressing the press conference, Mr Museveni first met local leaders from Masaka Sub-region at Kitovu Sports Arena where he warned those growing rice in Lwera saying they are destroying the eco-system of the area.
“I hear there are people growing rice in Lwera. I am going to chase them away. Rice [growing] is kisirani [misfortune],” a source that attended the closed meeting, quoted Mr Museveni as having said.
“What we should do, is digging fish ponds on the peripheral zones of wetlands, not inside, and bring those youth who were destroying our lake and help them have fish ponds...,” the President said.
About the wetland
Lwera swamp, which stretches about 20kms on the Kampala–Masaka highway, is a major water catchment area. It connects several rivers and wetlands in Gomba, Mpigi and Kalungu districts and drains directly into Lake Victoria.
Other depleted wetlands in Masaka include Nakayiba in Nyendo, a Masaka Town suburb, and Nabajjuzi on the Masaka-Mbarara highway. Nakayiba wetland forms part of Nabajjuzi wetland system, which is a tributary of Katonga River basin that drains into Lake Victoria. Nabajjuzi, where National Water and Sewerage Corporation draws water it supplies in Masaka Town, is also a protected Ramsar Site due to its importance for people and animals. A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
