Leaders seek UPDF support to reclaim depleted wetlands
LUWEERO- Authorities in Luweero District have sought support from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to secure all depleted wetlands in the district .
District leaders say despite issuing eviction notices, destruction of the wetlands has continued with individuals and investment companies breaching guidelines issued by National Environment Management Authority (Nema).
“We have reached out to the UPDF for support to boost our enforcement teams. We have discussed the support and are in touch with the camp commandant at the Land Forces headquarters in Bombo,” Ms Phoebe Namulindwa ,the Luweero Resident District Commissioner, told the Daily Monitor at the weekend.
On April 21, President Museveni directed the Minister for Water and Environment to evict all encroachers on wetlands, riverbanks and forest reserves with immediate effect to mitigate the effects of climate change.
“While some of the encroachers have heeded our call to voluntarily vacate the wetlands, we still face a big challenge for more than 80 per cent of the depleted areas where the encroachers are defiant and have vowed not to vacate,” Ms Namulindwa said.
Bombo Town Council, Kalagala, Makulubita and Nyimbwa sub-counties are top of the list of areas with grossly encroached on wetlands and forest reserves.
Ms Scovia Kayonga, the Luweero District environment officer, told the Daily Monitor that they have already mapped out the wetlands under encroachment.
“We have mapped out areas where illegal sand mining, cultivation and construction activities define the wetland use. The activities have greatly interfered with the key ecosystem,” she said.
In 2019, a team from Nema conducted inspection and put mark stones around particular wetlands in Nyimbwa Sub-county and Bombo Town Council, but several of them have since been destroyed by suspected encroachers.
However, Mr Abdul Karim Omar, a resident of Mpakawero Zone in Bombo Town Council, claims that several residents were never consulted at the time the boundary mark stones were put in the area .
“My land extends to the swampy area and is not public land. I have decided to ignore the mark stones that I believe were illegally established on a section of my land,” Mr Omar said.
Mr Tony Achidria, a public relations officer at Nema, said wetland user permits were issued to individuals and companies who apply in consultation with the respective local governments that do the inspection work and have the ability to monitor activities at the different wetlands.
“Nema is undertaking a demarcation exercise for the different wetlands across the country through establishment of the boundary mark stones,” Mr Achidria said in a telephone interview .
Lt Col Henry Obbo, the UPDF land forces spokesperson, said the army is always ready to offer support where it is needed.
“If the district security committee chaired by the Resident District Commissioner and representative of the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces where the district police commander is a member seeks support from the UPDF, we definitely have to render the support. It would be within our constitutional mandate to respond and work with the police to deliver the service,” Lt Col Obbo said.
