Leaders speak out on Lwera sand mining
One of the heavy machinery used in the mining in Lwera. Photo by Martins E. Ssekweyana
What you need to know:
- Mpigi District chairperson, Mr Peter Clavier Mutuluza, said it is only the President who can prevail over the issue of Chinese investors destroying the wetland since they claim they have clearance from him.
- While appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources on Tuesday, Mr Tom Okurut, the Nema executive director, said barring licensed companies from mining sand would cause litigation since there is no legal basis for the halt.
Mpigi. Local leaders in Kalungu and Mpigi districts have said they lack the political clout to stop the illegal sanding mining in Lwera wetland located along Kampala –Masaka highway.
Speaking to Daily Monitor in an interview on Wednesday, Kalungu District chairperson, Mr Richard Kyabaggu, said the issues surrounding sand mining in Lwera are bigger for them as a district and that their efforts to stop the illegal activities have in the past failed due to ‘external factors’.
Heaps of sand at the Lukaya sand mine. Photo by Benjamin Jumbe
“Our hands are tied. When we tried to stop those illegal activities in the wetland, we found the miners with licenses from the National Environment Management Authority, (Nema),” Mr Kyabaggu said.
Mr Kyabaggu added that after the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources passed a resolution stopping sand mining activities in Lwera, the leaders were not briefed on what to do.
Land affected by sand mining activities in Lwera. Photo by Benjamin Jumbe
Mpigi District chairperson, Mr Peter Clavier Mutuluza, said it is only the President who can prevail over the issue of Chinese investors destroying the wetland since they claim they have clearance from him.
Early this month, Parliament halted all the sand mining activities in Lwera after discovering that some companies were encroaching on Lake Victoria through their sand mining activities contrary to existing laws.
Members of the parliamentary committee on natural resources looking at the extent of wetland destruction in Lwera. Photo by Martins E. Ssekweyana
While appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources on Tuesday, Mr Tom Okurut, the Nema executive director, said barring licensed companies from mining sand would cause litigation since there is no legal basis for the halt.
