Africa-Press – Uganda. The Lands ministry has summoned 61 companies and individuals over alleged possession of land titles in the severely degraded Kinawataka wetland in Kampala.
The titles were acquired after the amalgamation of the Constitution in 1995.
According to the ministry’s notice to the title holders, the said companies/ individuals should attend a public hearing on September 29, following a complaint from the environmental regulator, National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and the Ministry of Water and Environment.
Mr Stephen Mugabi, the acting director of environment affairs at the Ministry of Water and Environment, told the Monitor yesterday that any land title in a wetland obtained after 1995 is illegal.
“That is illegal occupancy, it is titles before 1995 which are considered valid. Titles after 1995 are illegally acquired,” Mr Mugabi said.
The National Policy for the Conservation and Management of Wetland Resources was introduced in 1995 to protect the country’s wetlands. The specific size of the land owned by the individuals and companies was not revealed.
Nema, one of the complainants, categorises Kinawataka and Namanve wetlands as public reserve areas which should be kept intact to absorb effluents and shield Kampala from floods.
Kinawataka is a 1.5 square kilometre wetland in Nakawa, Kampala. The wetland has decreased by 46 percent and its degradation rose from 49 percent in 1992 to the present 95 percent, according to a 2021 study by Sultan Juma Kakuba of Kyambogo University.
In the notice, the Lands ministry told the title owners to “endeavour to attend the public hearing without fail and come along with all your documents supporting your claim of ownership of the land.”
Asked what their complaint was about, Mr Tony Achidria, the senior public relations officer at Nema, said: “This is an invitation to a public hearing by the Ministry of Lands. Why don’t you attend the hearing and get firsthand information?”
Another research report by Justine Namuyaba attributes the degradation of Kinawataka to “uncontrolled development activities by the people, poor planning and coordination among the various stakeholders namely Nema, Kampala Capital City Authority.”
The report also blames the degradation of industrial developers, ignorance among the people on wetland use, and weak legal frameworks, and enforcement capacities.
Countrywide, there has been a sharp decline in wetland coverage from 15.5 percent in 1994 to 8.9 percent now due to encroachment, according to Nema.
The discussions around Kinawataka come amid increased efforts by the environment body to restore the degradation of wetlands, a development which has been challenged by State minister for Investment Evelyn Anite.
“Stop bothering these investors. The only thing I expect from you is to verify a few things, but the environmental assessment in the entire park was done,” Ms Anite said last Thursday while meeting local and foreign investors doing businesses at the Namanve Industrial Park.
Last week, officials from Nema, the Ministry of water and Environment Protection Police arrested three people over encroachment of Lubigi wetland in Kampala.
Some Affected title owners
1. SPIDQA UMMA Foundation
2. Moses Mayanja
3. Mukunda Aggrey
4. Mugambe Kenneth
5. Cissy Nyanzi
6. Kin Ibrahim Kariisa
7. Meera investment
8. Umutoni Winnie
9. Prudential Investment
10. The Capital Times Limited
11. Cissy Namagulu
12. Jackson Nimusiima
13. Seroma Limited
14. Mukunda Aggrey
15. Moskam Contracting Ltd
16. Muwanga Stephen
17. Joseph Erume
18. Mukama Edward
19. First Merchant International
20. Bunyanga Mult Services Ltd
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