Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | Uganda is ramping up efforts to evict individuals encroaching on wetlands in a bid to safeguard these vital ecosystems and mitigate climate change impacts.
William Lubulwa, the senior Public Relations Officer of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), announced that the agency has begun demolishing structures built on wetlands.
Speaking to the Kampala Dispatch on Wednesday 12, June 2024, Lubulwa revealed that a significant operation took place at the Lubigi Wetland in Wakiso District.
“We gave them notices for a month, and some people vacated the place, and others refused to go. And for those who refused to leave, the NEMA helped them remove their structures,” Lubulwa stated.
NEMA plans to restore the Lubigi Wetland, which plays a crucial role in the ecosystem of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake.
Joshua Karamagi, manager of the Environment Protection Force (EPF) at NEMA, indicated that the nationwide crackdown on wetland encroachment is ongoing.
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“I urge all the wetland encroachers in Uganda to start vacating them before we reach their sites,” Karamagi warned.
The EPF, launched last week, is tasked with 24-hour environmental monitoring, and the detection and investigation of environmental crimes.
According to the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda’s wetland coverage has dwindled from 13% to 8% of the country’s land surface.
Conservation experts warn that the loss of wetlands contributes to prolonged dry spells, crop destruction, and increasingly unpredictable weather, leading to significant loss of life and property.
