Govt should improve wetlands management
The National Environment Management Authority (Nema), has recommended to Lands ministry to cancel more than 600 land titles in and around Kampala that were acquired in wetlands after the 1995 Constitution.
As this paper reported last week, Nema arrived at the decision after Cabinet approved the road map for cancellation of titles in wetlands on public land. According to Nema, the Cabinet decision is meant to ensure a clean and healthy environment for Ugandans to live in.
Wetlands are very important both to human and animal life. First of all, they filter water from pollutants, control floods and store water. They also influence rainfall formation, regulate temperature and act as habitat for aquatic life, among others. From the foregoing, it is clear the significance of wetlands cannot be over-emphasised.
This is even buttressed in the National Environment Act, Section 36, which provides for the protection of wetlands and prohibits any person from reclaiming, erecting or demolishing any structure that is fixed in, on, under or above any wetland.
Therefore, it follows that reclaiming, encroaching or destroying a wetland or all of these is threat to human survival hence should be discouraged.
Of course, there are people, who most likely through connivance with some unscrupulous Ministry of Lands officials, got titles on plots in wetlands. It is imperative that both the so-called title holders and whoever handed them the titles be investigated and prosecuted and severely punished. Therefore, drastic measures, including cancelling the questionable titles and more should be effected.
The Lands ministry could have made mistakes in issuing titles on wetlands without due diligence. But that should not give the errant title holders an open cheque to destroy wetlands. The same ministry must follow through their records and where they find fault in the manner titles on wetlands were issued, move fast and stop the so-called title holders or any other claimant from carrying out any activity on the wetlands.
We also expect Nema, which is mandated to keep encroachers off forests, wetlands, lakes, rivers and wetlands, to carry through their responsibility without fear or favour.
There is no doubt that the ongoing cancellation of titles in wetlands and such other areas will affect many people. This is why the Lands ministry should have done their job diligently before issuing these titles so as to avoid such a mess. We hope they will play their role better next time.
Still, the ministry officials, who approved the questionable titles, should be held accountable. Perpetuation of these illegalities must stop or be made to stop.
