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Uganda: Nema Chief Accused of Abetting Wetland Destruction
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New Vision (Kampala)
11 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
Chris Kiwawulo and Tony Barigye
Kampala
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) chief, Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, has been accused of allegedly abetting wetland encroachment.
Leaders from Nakawa Division asked Aryamanya to explain the permits issued to wetland encroachers.
The permits, issued on NEMA letter-heads, had the organisations's stamps. Nakawa security chairman Abdul Mugerwa said several plots in wetlands were issued to the rich and influential people at the expense of the poor.
"Local leaders are not consulted. NEMA issues wetland permits to the rich and evict poor people. The problems in wetlands were brought about by Aryamanya," Mugerwa said.
This was during a meeting between Nakawa local leaders, environment state minister Jessica Eriyo and NEMA officials at Naguru Community Centre last week.
The meeting was held after NEMA cut down local's crops and threatened to evict over 3,000 households from the Kinawataka wetland.
Kampala Central Division chairman Godfrey Nyakana, State House employee Mary Mugyenyi and former Bank of Uganda agricultural economist Charles Gashumba were among the people said to have acquired leases in the Luzira wetland.
Nakawa resident district commissioner Fred Bamwine said he had received several complaints about encroachers who had assaulted the locals.
Aryamanya said he would investigate the matter. "It is illegal for anyone to get a lease in a wetland."
But over 200 locals booed him. "You are pretending.
You know what is happening. You are the people who make our President (Yoweri Museveni) appear bad in public. You issue permits and chase away the poor," a local said before Bamwine intervened.
Eriyo apologised for NEMA's laxity in sensitising residents about wetlands but asked for copies of the permits issued by NEMA. She urged the leaders to report people issued with leases in wetlands.
Eriyo pledged to work with the lands minister to cancel the titles issued for wetlands.
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Industries and factories located near wetlands will also be audited to establish whether they treat their wastes as required by the law.
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