Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to prominent farmer Lawrence Nkalubo Damulira Sebwami, ordering him to shut down and dismantle his 25-year-old poultry and piggery farm in Nkumba Bendegere, Wakiso District, citing environmental and public health concerns.
In an Environmental Restoration Order dated June 23, 2025, NEMA accuses Nkalubo of operating illegally and alleges that his farm — which currently houses an estimated 40,000 chickens and over 120 pigs — is emitting foul odors and improperly managing waste. The agency further claims the farm lacks the necessary environmental approvals to operate at such scale, classifying it as a criminal offense under the National Environment Act, Cap 181.
The order, based on NEMA inspections conducted on February 7 and June 13, 2025, directs Nkalubo to demolish unauthorized structures, remove waste, restore the site, and halt all farming operations within three weeks. Failure to comply, NEMA warns, will trigger civil recovery proceedings and potential criminal charges.
However, Nkalubo has pushed back strongly, calling the action a “personal witch-hunt” orchestrated by NEMA Executive Director Dr. Barirega Akankwasa.
He argues that the enforcement is not only unjustified but also directly undermines the government’s job creation and commercial agriculture agenda.
“This is a deliberate move to frustrate my investment and destroy what I’ve built for over two decades,” Nkalubo stated, noting that his farm has operated peacefully since 1994 and has never received complaints from the community until recently.
The farmer revealed he holds outstanding loans worth over Shs1.3 billion, including Shs1 billion from Post Bank and Shs350 million from Centenary Bank, with his farm listed as collateral. “Closing this farm will lead to permanent loss of livelihood, jobs, and bankruptcy,” he warned.
Support for Nkalubo has grown from local leaders and members of the community. LC1 Chairperson Samuel Mpanga dismissed the odor complaints as baseless and described the farm as a valuable asset to the area. Godfrey Makumbi, a long-serving farm worker, expressed fear over losing his job and the ripple effect it would have on his family.
Sources have also confirmed that Dr. Hillary Emmanuel Musoke Kisanja, a Senior Presidential Advisor on Agribusiness, has written to President Museveni requesting immediate intervention and a suspension of the NEMA operation.
As the July 14 compliance deadline approaches, the dispute has ignited a wider debate about environmental enforcement, fairness, and the future of commercial agriculture in rapidly urbanizing areas.
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