Luweero seeks UPDF support to secure encroached wetlands

Authorities in Luweero District have sought support from the UPDF land forces to boost their ability to enforce a recent Presidential directive to have all encroached wetland areas secured and prevent further encroachment by individuals and investment companies.

Despite the eviction notices, destruction of the wetland and forest reserve areas has continued after many people pleaded to have their respective crops harvested before they could voluntarily leave the wetlands. This has forced the District authorities to enlist support of the UPDF as one of the security institutions with a big stake in Luweero District with its Land Forces Headquarters located in Bombo Town Council.

“We have reached out to the UPDF for support to boost our enforcement teams that are lined up to secure the different wetland areas grossly encroached on by both individuals and investment companies,” Ms Phoebe Namulindwa, the Luweero Resident District Commissioner (RDC) told Daily Monitor on Friday.

President Museveni recently tasked the different government department at the different levels to expeditiously secure the wetland, River banks and Lake Shores plus the forest areas that are under encroachment.

“While some of the encroachers have heeded to our call to voluntarily vacate the wetland areas after a series of dialogue meetings and eviction notices, we still face a big challenge for more than 80% of the encroached areas where the encroachers are defiant and have vowed not to vacate, that’s why we are now involving in the UPDF,” Ms Namulindwa said.

Bombo Town Council, Kalagala, Makulubita and Nyimbwa Sub counties top the list of areas whose wetland and forest land are grossly encroached. The Ssezibwa wetland stretch, Lugogo wetland, River Lumansi and River Danze wetlands have attracted unauthorized human activity that has partly interfered with the water flow pattern.

 Luweero District Local Government through the Natural Resources Department has already mapped the wetland areas 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. The wetland user permits are issued by NEMA and not the District Local Government and are regulatory procedures meant to minimize activities that abuse the wetlands,” Ms Scovia Kayonga, the Luweero District Environment Officer, said.

In 2019, the National Environment Authority team conducted inspections and established boundary mark stones for particular wetland areas at Nyimbwa Sub County and Bombo Town Council, but several of the boundary mark stones have been destroyed.

However Mr Abubdul Karim Omar a resident of Mpakawero zone located at Bombo Town Council claims that several of the residents were never consulted at the time the boundary stone marks were placed.

“My land extends to the swampy area and in not public land. I have decided to ignore the mark stones that I believe were illegally established on a section of my land by NEMA without consultation. I cannot remove the mark stones but will continue using the land,” he said.

Mr Tony Achidria, the Senior Public Relation Officer at NEMA, said that the wetland user permits are 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.

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