Protests as firm destroys wetland in search of clay

Leaders and residents in Masaka District are up in arms over clay mining activities in Nakiyaga wetland system in  Buwunga Sub- County, saying they are destroying the environment.

They accuse Gazoola Supplies Company Ltd of destroying part of the wetland, by leaving open pits, among other issues.

Some of the locals told this publication that the clay is ferried in trucks to Kapeeka Industrial Park, Nakaseke District where it is used as raw material in making porcelain and ceramic tiles.

Local leaders of Buwunga Sub-county and Masaka have said they did not licenced the activities in the wetland. 

Ms Prossy Namanda, a woman councillor of Nakiyaga Parish, said several residents have informed her about various forms of destruction in the wetland where clay mining is taking place.

“Unfortunately, we have complained about the operations of that company [Gazoola Supplies Company Ltd], but nothing has changed because even as sub-county leaders, we don’t know who sanctioned their operations,” she said on Wednesday.

However, Mr Andrew Muzoola, the manager at Gazoola Supplies Company Ltd, said they possess an approved environment and social impact assessment report for whatever they are doing. “Whoever wants to have a look at it, should come to Kapeeka where our offices are.  There is no way we can start excavation without following the due procedures,” he said.

Mr Darlin Kavuma, the chairperson of Buwunga Sub-county, however, said they have been pushing the company’s agents to agree on certain terms to conserve the environment in vain.

“We have several issues we wanted to settle before they [Gazoola Supplies Company Ltd ] resume their activities because they were here before our leadership came into office and signed an agreement which we wanted to review to meet the current situation, the issue of taxes, environmental management, and social concerns are all key, but still hanging in balance” he noted.

He added that the workers of Gazoola Supplies Company Ltd claimed that they were sampling to confirm the quality of clay before signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the sub-county, but they ended up taking away more than 100 trucks of clay.

“They [Gazoola Supplies Company] wanted to pay Shs5,000 per truck as it was stated in the first agreement which we rejected, at least that would be paid per tonne, even during the clearing of the wetland, they destroyed several acreages of food crops and they did so without an evidence of an environment and social impact assessment,” Mr Kavuma said.

He said on top of losing their food crops, residents adjacent to the depleted wetland have expressed fear of losing lives, especially children due to trenches and pits that were left uncovered and currently filled with water. 

Mr Muzoola said the company is remitting revenue to local authorities and said some of the local leaders are making false claims.

“We have a Memorandum of Understanding detailing everything. Although I can’t disclose specific details, they [local leaders] know what we agreed upon and we fulfill every part of the memorandum,” Mr Muzoola added.

Ms Annet Nakalanzi, one of the affected farmers, said: “We ask all leaders to act swiftly and address our concerns.”

This matter was also tabled before the district council last week by Mr Peter Ssenkungu, the secretary of works and technical services and investigations were launched into the operations of Gazoola Supplies Company Ltd.

However, sources within Masaka District natural resources department denied having cleared the operations of Gazoola Supplies Company Ltd even though they are mandated to do so after due diligence to ensure full observance of environmental and social issues.

About the wetland

Nakiyaga wetland which stretches in the two sub counties of Buwunga and Bukakkata , forms part of Lake Nabugabo wetland system that comprises satellite lakes of Lake Victoria .

The wetland system is a protected Ramsar Site, listed as one of the wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The Nabugabo wetland system has also been identified as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International. More than 180 bird species, among which are globally threatened species, have been recorded in the Lake Nabugabo wetland system.

According to the 2019 wetland status report by the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda’s wetland coverage declined from 13 percent in 1994 to 8.9 percent.

Uganda has lost her wetland cover by 44 percent above the global depletion levels of wetlands, which stands at 35 percent.