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NEMA can pick a leaf from Gen. Saleh
From the political economy standpoint, wetland evictions embody the tension between ecological conservation, rapid urbanisation and social justice. Although the exercise is often framed as necessary for climate resilience and flood control, it disproportionately displaces the urban poor, while systemic inequalities, overlapping land tenure systems and political interests complicate enforcement.
Dr Anthony Buyinza Mugeere. (Courtesy)
By: Admin ., Journalist @New Vision
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OPINION
By Dr Anthony Buyinza Mugeere
In his 2026 book titled Organising Land for National Economic Transformation, Gen. (rtd) Salim Saleh aka Caleb Akandwanaho espouses his ‘Kapeekanomics’ concept with the conviction and experience of a frontline commander in action. Touted as ‘the applied dimension of the pragmatic, private sector-led growth and state-coordinated "Musevenomics", Gen. Saleh draws upon lived experience to reflect on a national dilemma that has persisted for decades and yet remains unresolved: how to translate Uganda’s abundant land and people into sustainable, inclusive economic transformation.
“Uganda is not poor in resources. It is not short of policy frameworks, development plans or reform initiatives. What it has struggled with repeatedly and structurally — is the operationalisation of its vision,” Gen. Saleh writes in the preface of the book co-authored with Dr Pascal Odoch.
During a recent visit to his Heritage Farm Kirema in Nakaseke district, ‘General’ — as he is fondly referred to — shared his insights into how he not only turned over 200 acres of arable land into one of the most productive mixed farms in the country, but also used the ‘Operation Harmony’ philosophy and practice to solve complicated land ownership and management issues in Nakaseke district.
To Gen. Saleh, ‘Operation Harmony’ rests on three core assumptions, one of which being the assertion that land conflict is fundamentally economic, not merely legal. Disputes persist because land is the primary asset through which livelihoods, wealth and power are negotiated. While recognising that conflict resolution without economic activation merely postpones future disputes, Gen. Saleh also calls upon the state to rise above its role as a regulator to act as mediator and catalyst too.
As we pondered over how ‘Operation Harmony’ represents a rare example of ‘home-grown’ development pragmatism whose innovation lies in — among other things — embedding dispute resolution within productive systems rather than legal artefacts, my mind raced to the issue of the ongoing operations to evict ‘illegal encroachers’ from wetlands by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
Launched over a year ago, the operations have seen many encroachers evicted from Lubigi and other wetlands in the Kampala Metropolitan Area. Although NEMA says it temporarily halted the operations to allow the encroachers to vacate voluntarily, it insists that the evictions are within its legal mandate and they will continue until the wetlands are left to ‘only frogs, snakes and other reptiles.’
The evictions have, however, been met with criticism over the legal framework under which they are implemented — notably the operationalisation or lack of — the ministerial statutory instrument that prescribes the procedures of the district environment and natural resources committees (under the NEMA Act).
The Uganda Law Society recently urged NEMA and other government agencies to clearly demarcate wetlands across the country and install permanent boundary markers in protected wetlands to help residents identify restricted areas. The environmental body is also under fire for deploying its bulldozers without court orders to evict wetland ‘encroachers’ who obtained leasehold and freehold land titles from the responsible state institutions and had their housing plans duly approved by their respective local authorities.
To Gen. Saleh, ‘Operation Harmony’ rests on three core assumptions, one of which being the assertion that land conflict is fundamentally economic, not merely legal. Disputes persist because land is the primary asset through which livelihoods, wealth and power are negotiated. While recognising that conflict resolution without economic activation merely postpones future disputes, Gen. Saleh also calls upon the state to rise above its role as a regulator to act as mediator and catalyst too.
As we pondered over how ‘Operation Harmony’ represents a rare example of ‘home-grown’ development pragmatism whose innovation lies in — among other things — embedding dispute resolution within productive systems rather than legal artefacts, my mind raced to the issue of the ongoing operations to evict ‘illegal encroachers’ from wetlands by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
Launched over a year ago, the operations have seen many encroachers evicted from Lubigi and other wetlands in the Kampala Metropolitan Area. Although NEMA says it temporarily halted the operations to allow the encroachers to vacate voluntarily, it insists that the evictions are within its legal mandate and they will continue until the wetlands are left to ‘only frogs, snakes and other reptiles.’
The evictions have, however, been met with criticism over the legal framework under which they are implemented — notably the operationalisation or lack of — the ministerial statutory instrument that prescribes the procedures of the district environment and natural resources committees (under the NEMA Act).
The Uganda Law Society recently urged NEMA and other government agencies to clearly demarcate wetlands across the country and install permanent boundary markers in protected wetlands to help residents identify restricted areas. The environmental body is also under fire for deploying its bulldozers without court orders to evict wetland ‘encroachers’ who obtained leasehold and freehold land titles from the responsible state institutions and had their housing plans duly approved by their respective local authorities.
The Uganda Sociological and Anthropological Association (USAA) has also weighed in by raising concerns over the perceived selective enforcement of the evictions, which tends to favour the mighty at the expense of the wretched of the earth. In a recent WhatsApp group chat on this subject, USAA members highlighted the loss of families, weakened social cohesion, shattered livelihoods, exclusion and social distress resulting from the evictions. Others questioned NEMA’s renewed motivation to deploy the ‘scotched earth’ intervention yet the encroachment has taken place over decades under its watch.
From the political economy standpoint, wetland evictions embody the tension between ecological conservation, rapid urbanisation and social justice. Although the exercise is often framed as necessary for climate resilience and flood control, it disproportionately displaces the urban poor, while systemic inequalities, overlapping land tenure systems and political interests complicate enforcement. In many ways, wetland evictions are highly complex, shaped by the competing economic, social and political forces.
So, whereas there is no debate about the need to restore and protect wetlands, NEMA can interrogate the ‘Operation Harmony’ concept to guide its operations. Like the ‘conflicted land’ issue highlighted by Gen. Saleh, the wetland encroachment subject is also not merely legal but also socio cultural, economic and political. For thousands of families, wetlands have become the primary asset through which livelihoods, wealth, power and survival are negotiated.
If ‘Operation Harmony’ worked ‘harmoniously’ in enforcing the 2025 Presidential Executive Orders to evict the balaalo in northern and eastern Uganda and has served as the blueprint for the Kirema and Balatira land action plans in Nakaseke district, NEMA can — with slight modifications of the ‘Kapeekanomics’ philosophy and practice — restore and preserve our ‘conflicted’ wetlands without shedding people’s tears and shattering livelihoods.
The writer is the head of department of sociology and anthropology at Makerere University and a research fellow at Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment
From the political economy standpoint, wetland evictions embody the tension between ecological conservation, rapid urbanisation and social justice. Although the exercise is often framed as necessary for climate resilience and flood control, it disproportionately displaces the urban poor, while systemic inequalities, overlapping land tenure systems and political interests complicate enforcement. In many ways, wetland evictions are highly complex, shaped by the competing economic, social and political forces.
So, whereas there is no debate about the need to restore and protect wetlands, NEMA can interrogate the ‘Operation Harmony’ concept to guide its operations. Like the ‘conflicted land’ issue highlighted by Gen. Saleh, the wetland encroachment subject is also not merely legal but also socio cultural, economic and political. For thousands of families, wetlands have become the primary asset through which livelihoods, wealth, power and survival are negotiated.
If ‘Operation Harmony’ worked ‘harmoniously’ in enforcing the 2025 Presidential Executive Orders to evict the balaalo in northern and eastern Uganda and has served as the blueprint for the Kirema and Balatira land action plans in Nakaseke district, NEMA can — with slight modifications of the ‘Kapeekanomics’ philosophy and practice — restore and preserve our ‘conflicted’ wetlands without shedding people’s tears and shattering livelihoods.
The writer is the head of department of sociology and anthropology at Makerere University and a research fellow at Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment