The National Environment Management Authority has issued a stern directive to individuals accused of encroaching on the ecologically sensitive Lumpewo wetland, setting a 21-day deadline for all illegal structures to be dismantled or removed.
The enforcement action follows a high-level inspection led by the agency's Executive Director, Dr Barirega Akankwasa, who visited the affected site in Kitikobirongo village, Mutungo parish, Ndejje sub-county in Makindye Sabagabo municipality.
The area under scrutiny includes sections of Bulwadda and Mulema Golf Estates, where officials say several developers proceeded with construction without obtaining the required environmental approvals.
During the inspection, NEMA officials noted that many of the affected property owners were absent, a situation the authority said would not shield them from enforcement.
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Dr Akankwasa said several of the developments were undertaken without permits and had significantly degraded the wetland system.
He said the intervention was necessary to enforce environmental law and restore ecological balance, noting that "this is not about oppressing anyone, but about ensuring that wetlands that were historically present are restored."
Residents had earlier lodged complaints over environmental degradation and increasing flooding, which they linked to blocked drainage channels and encroachment into the wetland system.
Officials observed that parts of the wetland had been heavily silted and natural drainage channels obstructed. These channels normally allow storm water to be absorbed and safely released into larger water bodies, including Lake Victoria.
According to NEMA, the obstruction has already disrupted the wetland's natural buffering role, contributing to flooding that has affected nearby homes and land parcels.
The authority also warned that continued interference with drainage systems risks worsening pollution and environmental instability in the wider Lake Victoria basin.
To formalise enforcement, NEMA has issued eviction notices to at least three individuals believed to be at the centre of the illegal developments, with further investigations ongoing to identify additional violators.
The agency has maintained that failure to comply within the 21-day window will result in forceful demolition of illegal structures.
The affected wetland lies along the Entebbe Express Way corridor Entebbe Express Way, a rapidly developing zone where demand for real estate has intensified pressure on fragile ecosystems.
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Lumpewo wetland Lumpewo Wetland is part of a broader ecological network that supports water regulation, flood control, and biodiversity conservation in the greater Kampala metropolitan area.
Environmental experts have long warned that wetlands in urban expansion zones are increasingly under threat from unregulated development, driven by population growth and rising land demand.
Makindye Sabagabo municipality Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality has in recent years experienced some of the fastest urban expansion in the Kampala metropolitan region, intensifying pressure on wetlands and drainage corridors.
NEMA said its intervention in Lumpewo is part of a wider national effort to protect wetlands and enforce environmental compliance amid accelerating urbanisation.
