Kampala — The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has warned district land boards against issuing titles for plots in wetlands. NEMA executive director Henry Aryamanya Mugisha said this contravened the Constitution and fuelled conflicts among communities practising agriculture in wetlands.

"District land boards have no authority to issue land titles in wetlands. We shall not hesitate to evict people with such land titles," Aryamanya said.

He said the vice was common in Kampala City Council and Mbarara district in western Uganda. Aryamanya warned that encroaching on wetlands would result into drastic climatic changes.

He urged districts to effect policies that regulate agricultural activities in the wetlands to ensure sustainable land use. Aryamanya was on Friday responding to remarks by Susan Katooko, a member of the Budaka district land board, during a meeting held between the NEMA executive committee and the district council at Community Hall.

The NEMA board team was on a field tour to asses the implementation of government environmental policies on conservation in the district.