Lubigi Wetland Restoration Exercise Enters Third Week as MPs Attempt to Thwart it

The exercise to restore the Lubigi Wetland System spearheaded by teams from various Government Agencies, including the Ministry of Water and Environment, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda Police Force, Uganda People’s Defense Forces, Wakiso District Local Government, Office of the President, Ministry of Works and Transport, and Uganda National Roads Authority has today entered its third week,.

Lubigi Wetland is the largest system serving Kampala City and the neighboring districts to the north and western parts of the city. It is a critical water catchment area for the central region and a major water source for the water-stressed areas of the cattle corridor in Central Uganda. The wetland is essential for flood regulation and pollution control and serves as a habitat for critical biodiversity, including the national bird, the Grey Crowned Crane.

Unfortunately, the restoration exercise has attracted criticism from some politicians, including MPs led by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Hon Joel Ssenyonyi, who are calling for halting of the exercise and compensation for affected individuals. They argue that these individuals should be compensated for losing their houses and other properties because the government agencies allowed the encroachment on the wetland.

Today, some politicians attempted to incite the public against the teams, but officers from Nansana police station quickly restored order, allowing the exercise to continue.

On Monday, Buganda Kingdom issued a statement cautioning people who are in wetlands to adhere to the guidelines of NEMA, in order to avoid dire consequences

William Lubuulwa, the Senior Public Relations Officer at NEMA, noted that prior to the restoration exercise, the authority had issued restoration orders as far back as 2021 to all encroachers of the wetland. Failure to comply with these orders would result in NEMA enforcing them at the degraders’ cost and prosecuting those responsible where necessary. Restoration Orders give twenty-one (21) days within which to either challenge the Order or implement it.

“The restoration exercise has so far removed illegal gardens, makeshift settlements, and illegal structures. The law enforcement personnel ensure the safe evacuation of property and persons, and so far, we have not had any injuries or physical confrontations during the exercise. Today, some politicians tried to incite the public against the exercise, but the Nansana Police quickly restored order. Normalcy has returned, and the operation exercise continues,” said Lubuulwa.

In accordance with the National Environment Act, 2019, NEMA issued restoration orders upon establishing that there was encroachment on and degradation of the Lubigi Wetland System, including digging drainage channels in the wetland; depositing foreign material (marram/soil, hardcore) in the wetland; erecting illegal structures (houses) in the wetland; or fencing the wetland, hence obstructing free public access to the wetland.