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Luweero authorities evict encroachers from wetlands
Halted. Prisoners clear a section of Busemba Wetland in Makulubita Sub-county, Luweero District, in May 2019 before they were halted by the Resident District Commissioner, Ms Phoebe Namulindwa. PHOTO/DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- At Busemba wetland the entire vegetation at the swamp has been cleared. Statistics from the Ministry of Environment show that Uganda has lost more than 30 per cent of the wetlands in the last 23 years.
A recent presidential directive to government departments to secure depleted wetlands and forests has forced Luweero District authorities to persuade encroachers to leave the protected zones.
“We are under instruction to secure all the wetlands that have been grossly encroached on, including by farmers, developers and sand miners. The President has on several occasions mentioned that the wetlands in Luweero District must be secured,” Ms Phoebe Namulindwa, the Luweero Resident District Commissioner told Daily Monitor on Wednesday.
She added: “We have faced serious challenges in enforcing the eviction measures under the Covid-19 induced lockdown, but we keep on sending the eviction reminders to the encroachers.”
Ms Namulindwa said the district environment department, sub-county officials and the local council officials have helped to evict several wetland encroachers in Makulubita Sub-county.
Ms Scovia Kayonga, the Luweero environment officer, said they have embarked on-spot inspections at different areas on the Danze wetland system and the River Lumansi drainage to ensure compliance.
“Before the lockdown, we had started educating communities in the affected wetlands. We also arrested about 10 individuals who had refused to comply after several warnings and reminders. Right now, we cannot convene community meetings but we are contacting the local council chairpersons through the parish chiefs in the affected wetlands to be our ambassadors in delivering the message,” Ms Kayonga said.
She said their previous intervention yielded some good results for the key ecosystem at the River Lumansi and River Danze drainage systems.
The other interventions include restoring wetlands in Nyimbwa Sub-county.
“A section of the River Lumansi drainage system is on private mailo land, which partly slowed down our intervention. We, have, however, maintained that wetland use is regulated for those possessing user permits to ensure compliance,” Ms Kayonga said.
Mr Patrick Kisekwa Sonko, the district councillor representing Makulubita Sub-county, said wetland use is among complex issues in Makulubita Sub-county.
“It is a complex decision when you selectively evict encroachers. The farmers claim they are targeted simply because they have no backing from big shots in government. I advise the enforcement teams not to spare the investors because the President is clear in his message about the grossly encroached on wetland areas. We need to save the environment collectively,” he said.
Mr Sonko said the government has a plan to establish a modern gravity water irrigation system on River Danze to supply farmers in the area.
Mr Ibra Kabenge, a sugarcane farmer at Busemba swamp on the Semuto-Matugga road, said they were aware of the eviction notice.
“My boss stays in Kampala but he is in touch with the environment officers in Luweero. As a farm manager, I am worried that the environment team could destroy our crops before harvest time. I beg for leniency from the government,” he said.
On April 21, President Museveni directed the Minister for Water and Environment to evict all encroachers on wetlands, river banks and forest areas with immediate effect to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Past interventions
President Museveni has since 2018 sounded warnings and given eviction directives to encroachers on wetland areas in Luweero and Nakaseke Districts. Most depleted wetlands in Luweero are Kabere, Wabikokoma, Bulega, Lwetunga, Wakasanke, ukumbi,Mwalubumba, Busemba Kyerezi and Danze.
At Busemba wetland the entire vegetation at the swamp has been cleared. Statistics from the Ministry of Environment show that Uganda has lost more than 30 per cent of the wetlands in the last 23 years.
This trend indicates the country’s increased risk and vulnerability to natural disasters and other effects of climate change.
