Nema cancels 600 land titles in Kampala wetlands
Kampala- The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has cancelled more than 600 land titles that were acquired in wetlands around Kampala after the 1995 Constitution.
In a leaked letter addressed to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), notifying them of the move, Nema cited June 7, 2017 Cabinet meeting, which approved the road map for cancellation of the titles in wetlands on public land.
The Nema executive director, Dr Tom Okurut, yesterday confirmed issuing the letter, adding that Nema is executing its mandate of ensuring a clean and healthy environment.
“These titles were issued illegally on public land, so they have been cancelled and owners have to leave these wetlands for public good,” Dr Okurut said by telephone.
“The cancellation has already started and 44 people have already been evicted,” he added.
No compensation
Dr Okurut said no one will be compensated for loss of their land and the exercise is intended to revitalise the functionality of the degraded wetlands, which play critical roles in regulating the quality of water that pours into Lake Victoria and other rivers.
Wetlands filter water from pollutants, control floods and store water before releasing it into lakes and rivers. They also influence rainfall formation, regulate temperature and act as habitats for aquatic life, among other functions.
Some of the titles that have been cancelled are located in Ntinda, Kinawataka, Kyambogo, Bukoto, Nakawa, Bugolobi and Namuwongo. Others are located in areas around Wankolokolo and Kawoya wetlands on the outskirts of Kampala.
In 2014, Cabinet issued a directive to Nema to cancel all land titles acquired in wetlands after the 1995 Constitution. A verification exercise by Nema later revealed that within only Kampala and Wakiso districts, there are more than 17,000 land titles awarded in wetlands.
Section 36 of the National Environment Act, 1995, provides for protection of wetlands.
