Museveni yet again directs Luweero leaders to evict wetland encroachers

President Museveni has ordered Luweero District leaders to evict wetland encroachers one year after he made the same directive.
“On my way to Luweero, I noticed that people had invaded wetlands. I direct all concerned authorities to ensure these people leave the wetlands. Let us not destroy our environment, which has lots of other negative spill-over effects,” Mr Museveni tweeted on Saturday.
He said he noticed the invasion on Friday on his way to Luweero to commission four factories under the Balaji Group of Companies. The companies include Premier Distilleries, SR Afro Chicks & Breeders and Atis Biscuits & Mineral Water under Balaji Group EA Ltd.

“Combined, the Balaji Group of Companies employs close to 3,000 people, uses 90% of locally-procured raw materials and pays annual tax of over Shs10 billion. Some of their products are exported to regional markets. I am impressed by their investments especially SR Afro Chicks & Breeders in Yandwe, Luweero, with a total production capacity of one million eggs a day plus related poultry by-products. They will help us solve the problem of importing chicken feed from other countries,” Mr Museveni added.

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Why are Museveni’s directives on environment ignored?

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In September 2018, Mr Museveni directed District Administrative Officers, Resident Commissioners and the District Police Commanders for Luweero and Nakaseke districts to evict all encroachers from the wetlands or risk losing their jobs.
A furious Museveni singled out Kabeere, Kagembe, Wabikokoma, Bulega, Lwetunga, Mayanja, Wakasanke, Kalasa, Lukumbi, Walubumba, Kyerezi and Danze wetlands, saying they have been degraded under the watch of the officials.

He then warned to fire the officials should he return to their districts and find the encroachers on the wetlands.

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Museveni threatens to fire government technocrats over degraded wetlands

The president is furious that wetland encroachment is happening under the watch of government technocrats

In his response, however, the Luweero LC 5 Chairperson, Mr Ronald Ndawula, said they were equally concerned about the wetland degradation but they could only do little to stop encroachment because of interference by central government and State House officials.
He explained that despite the fact that the political leaders and technical officers were involved in sensitizing residents against encroachment, their efforts were unlikely to succeed in evicting those operating there.
According to him, some of the occupants got user permits from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) whereas others had godfathers in central government who block evictions.
NEMA has always claimed some unscrupulous people acquired fake user permits and Environment Impact Assessments to operate in wetlands.

While addressing a congregation of Christians who attended Easter Sunday church service at St. Matthew Cathedral, Kyamate in Ntungamo District Ankole Sub-Region in April 2017, Mr Museveni warned that whoever had planted eucalyptus trees in wetlands must have them removed forthwith. He also added that even those who open fishponds in the middle of swamps should stop.

“Wetlands are water reservoirs. They must be conserved. Any encroachment on wetlands is disastrous. If wetlands are drained, where shall farmers access water for irrigation? How can one light fire in a granary?” he queried.

In 2016 President Museveni launched an Agricultural Industrial park project in Lubenge wetland amidst protests from environmental activists. The China-Uganda Agricultural Industrial Park under Kehong Uganda Industrial Development Limited, a private Chinese firm secured a 99-year lease and user permit to use the wetland amidst protests from local leaders because of environmental concerns.
The wetland measures 383.092 hectares and connects Luweero to Nakasongola District.
In 2014, Cabinet issued a directive to NEMA and Ministry of Lands to cancel all land titles acquired in wetlands after the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution. However none of the tittles has been cancelled in Luweero.

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