Nema gives 3-week ultimatum to encroachers to leave wetland
Some of the residents who face eviction from the area said to be within 200 metres from the lake shores. COURTESY PHOTO
What you need to know:
The directive indicates that residents, who defy the orders, would be prosecuted.
ISINGIRO
The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to families that live within 200 metres of Lake Nakivale to leave.
Nema Executive Director Tom Okurut in a November 12 letter indicated that the body had found out that 500 families had continuously degraded the environment. He said the encroachers were cultivating and grazing animals within 200 metres from the lake shore and had also erected houses there.
“You are, therefore, ordered to comply with the following environmental protection improvement orders; stop your illegal activities with immediate effect, remove all structures, including fences and houses, in the wetland and lake shores and restore them as near as possible to its original state,” Dr Okurut wrote.
The letter added: “You are given 21 days from the date of receipt of this restoration order within which to comply…” “Failure to comply with the above directive shall result in this authority or any other person authorised, taking all the necessary action against you including criminal prosecution to ensure that the above directives are complied with.”
The Isingiro District Environment officer in charge of wetlands, Mr Joseph Mwesigye, said on Saturday that 25 villages would be affected in Rushasha, Rugaaga, Ngarama, Kashumba, Isingiro Town Council and Kabaingo sub-counties.
“The lake is continuously disappearing due to illegal human activities. It has reduced to 50 Square km from 80,” Mr Mwesigye said. He said the ultimatum follows a series of awareness meetings over the years involving the encroachers, local leaders, including Nakivale refugee settlement officials, Nema officials and ministers.
Ministers’ visit
On July 4, the Minster of State for Water, Ms Betty Bigombe, and Mr Stephen Mallinga, the Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, went to the area and launched a wetland restoration campaign. “They told encroachers to prepare to leave. They were told not to plant more crops after harvesting what they had in the gardens but Nema officials came early November and found there was no change, people are busy carrying out more projects,” Mr Mwesigye said.
The Isingiro chairperson of works, water production and natural resources, Mr Joseph Kiiza, said government should not use excessive force to evict people. “As a leader, I welcome the measures of protecting the lake. But the government should look into these people’s predicament...” Mr Kiiza said. He added: “The government should help them get alternative land, they should be compensated because of some of these people were there before the Nema Act of 1995.”\
