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Over 1,000 left homeless in Lubigi evictions
A grader demolished homes belonging to alleged encroachers on Lubigi wetland in Nansana West II, Nansana Municipality in Wakiso District on June 11, 2024. PHOTO/NOELINE NABUKENYA
What you need to know:
- Nema has vowed to carry on with crackdowns against wetland encroachers.
More than 1,000 people have been left homeless after the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) resumed its crackdown on alleged encroachers on Lubigi wetland in Wakiso District.
The victims of the house demolitions in Nansana West II yesterday expressed grief for what they have called ‘torture’ by the government.
Mr John Serugo, a hawker, recounted losses after the house he built 20 years ago was pulled down.
“I saved that money through the pain of fasting to be able to get my own home because I was tired of renting but now I am back to zero,” he said.
Mr Serugo said he bought his plot of land from someone who had stayed on it since colonial times.
“The old man now died but his children are alive, they can testify. Even the Buganda Land Board has been collecting nominal ground rent with no indicators that anyone could come from nowhere to evict us,” he said.
Ms Hadijah Najjemba, 95, another resident, said she settled in the area with her late husband, Yusuf Ssentamu, in 1941.
The old woman has been living with the grandchildren and renting her compound to get money to fend for the family.
Ms Najjemba’s story was narrated by her son due to her health condition that could not enable her to speak properly.
The son who gave out the information on condition of anonymity said his mother is now going to be homeless because they don’t have money to get her an alternative house.
The source said before the government developments in the area such as the construction of the Northern bypass, the water was moving freely.
“We were born from this place, grew up here and married. Even our children have married in this same place. The wetland has clogged because of the soil they poured in it,” he said.
He acknowledged that Nema issued the notices to some of the residents one month ago but they were not given a chance to explain to them how they acquired the land.
“The date on the documents showed they were printed in 2021 but to our surprise, they have been issued just recently in 2024. What were they waiting for?” he wondered.
Mr John Kateregga, another evictee, asked Nema to compensate the owners of the houses. He is now planning to go back to the village.
Mr Hakim Mugenyi, a mechanic, expressed fear after his workplace was displaced. He said this was his only source of income and being evicted is a big blow to the family he is taking care of.
