Ssebaana Builds In Wetland
Mar 17, 2004
KAMPALA City Council officials, including Mayor John Ssebaana Kizito, have allocated themselves plots in an arm of Nakivubo, Kampala’s most vital swamp, Nakivubo, which lies between Kampala city and Lake Victoria.
By Grace Matsiko
and Gerald Tenywa
KAMPALA City Council officials, including Mayor John Ssebaana Kizito, have allocated themselves plots in an arm of Nakivubo, Kampala’s most vital swamp, Nakivubo, which lies between Kampala city and Lake Victoria.
The wetlands acts as a natural filter of waste before releasing the water into the lake.
But the officials have parceled out large chunks of the wetland running along the Springs Channel from Silver Springs Hotel to the Nakivubo Wetland, in disregard of the law.
The move has sparked protests from environmentalists, who said the councillors action contradicts their obligations under the law.
A letter from environment ministry assistant commissioner Paul Mafabi, dated March 3, this year, addressed to KCC town clerk, protested illegal developments on the Luzira lakeshores.
“Kampala City Council Land Board officially issued plots 1-3 and 5-7 lying within the 200m distance of the lakeshore,†Mafabi said.
“The allocation of the plots was done with the board consent and that the proposed activities would be environmentally sound,†he added.
He said, “Within the Nakivubo wetland between Bugolobi and Kitintale, new plots 2,4, 6 and 8, which fall within the area to be gazetted, have been leased by the board. This contravenes the law.â€
But Ssebaana denied encroaching on the wetland and defended the board’s decision.
“My house is not part of the wetland. I obtained the plot 15 years ago but in any case where is the boundary of the wetland?†he asked.
He said given the land shortage, Uganda should imitate Malaysia where buildings are constructed on top of water channels and wetlands.
“I have heard the minister talking of wetland destruction in Kampala. Why Kampala when there are several wetlands countrywide being destroyed. Why doesn’t he go for those?†he asked.
Ssebaana has erected a red tiled three-in-one bungalow. Part of its huge concrete fence lies in the swamp.
Nakawa councillor Godfrey Nyakaana has put up a house, metres from the Silver Springs channel. Nyakaana neither denied nor confirmed the reports. “If I own land in the wetland, what is your concern?†he asked.
Residents said an official from the President’s Office owns a house in the middle of the wetland where several houses are coming up.
An access road, Plantation Road, running across the wetland, is under construction and heaps of soil are daily dumped to make heavy construction trucks lumber to the sites.
KCC trucks reportedly ferry construction materials to the sites owned by the city officials.
Environmentalists believe that massive construction is likely to endanger the city water source, Lake Victoria.
They said the water table on wetlands is close, forcing some developers to put up shallow toilets. Water leaks underneath freshly dug pit-latrines.
Birds, which used to hibernate in the wetlands, have also migrated to safer areas.
“The wetland inspection division has been closely following up these developments and is of the opinion that the Land Board has no right to lease and assess suitability of activities in the protected zone of lakeshores and wetlands†Mafabi said. He called on the Town Clerk to rescind the decision the allocation of the plots.
While on tour of the wetlands in question, Mafabi last Sunday told the visiting secretary general of the Ramsar Convention, a global treaty on wetlands, Peter Bridgewater that the size of the wetland has reduced from 6sq.km to 3.8sqkm within the last three decades. He said the Government was in the process of gazetting it to avoid further encroachment.
Mafabi accused KCC of not cooperating with environmental bodies.
Lands minister Baguma Isoke says if KCC fails to protect the wetland, the Government may hire private agencies to do so.
Residents said KCC recently held a workshop on environment there.
Ends
and Gerald Tenywa
KAMPALA City Council officials, including Mayor John Ssebaana Kizito, have allocated themselves plots in an arm of Nakivubo, Kampala’s most vital swamp, Nakivubo, which lies between Kampala city and Lake Victoria.
The wetlands acts as a natural filter of waste before releasing the water into the lake.
But the officials have parceled out large chunks of the wetland running along the Springs Channel from Silver Springs Hotel to the Nakivubo Wetland, in disregard of the law.
The move has sparked protests from environmentalists, who said the councillors action contradicts their obligations under the law.
A letter from environment ministry assistant commissioner Paul Mafabi, dated March 3, this year, addressed to KCC town clerk, protested illegal developments on the Luzira lakeshores.
“Kampala City Council Land Board officially issued plots 1-3 and 5-7 lying within the 200m distance of the lakeshore,†Mafabi said.
“The allocation of the plots was done with the board consent and that the proposed activities would be environmentally sound,†he added.
He said, “Within the Nakivubo wetland between Bugolobi and Kitintale, new plots 2,4, 6 and 8, which fall within the area to be gazetted, have been leased by the board. This contravenes the law.â€
But Ssebaana denied encroaching on the wetland and defended the board’s decision.
“My house is not part of the wetland. I obtained the plot 15 years ago but in any case where is the boundary of the wetland?†he asked.
He said given the land shortage, Uganda should imitate Malaysia where buildings are constructed on top of water channels and wetlands.
“I have heard the minister talking of wetland destruction in Kampala. Why Kampala when there are several wetlands countrywide being destroyed. Why doesn’t he go for those?†he asked.
Ssebaana has erected a red tiled three-in-one bungalow. Part of its huge concrete fence lies in the swamp.
Nakawa councillor Godfrey Nyakaana has put up a house, metres from the Silver Springs channel. Nyakaana neither denied nor confirmed the reports. “If I own land in the wetland, what is your concern?†he asked.
Residents said an official from the President’s Office owns a house in the middle of the wetland where several houses are coming up.
An access road, Plantation Road, running across the wetland, is under construction and heaps of soil are daily dumped to make heavy construction trucks lumber to the sites.
KCC trucks reportedly ferry construction materials to the sites owned by the city officials.
Environmentalists believe that massive construction is likely to endanger the city water source, Lake Victoria.
They said the water table on wetlands is close, forcing some developers to put up shallow toilets. Water leaks underneath freshly dug pit-latrines.
Birds, which used to hibernate in the wetlands, have also migrated to safer areas.
“The wetland inspection division has been closely following up these developments and is of the opinion that the Land Board has no right to lease and assess suitability of activities in the protected zone of lakeshores and wetlands†Mafabi said. He called on the Town Clerk to rescind the decision the allocation of the plots.
While on tour of the wetlands in question, Mafabi last Sunday told the visiting secretary general of the Ramsar Convention, a global treaty on wetlands, Peter Bridgewater that the size of the wetland has reduced from 6sq.km to 3.8sqkm within the last three decades. He said the Government was in the process of gazetting it to avoid further encroachment.
Mafabi accused KCC of not cooperating with environmental bodies.
Lands minister Baguma Isoke says if KCC fails to protect the wetland, the Government may hire private agencies to do so.
Residents said KCC recently held a workshop on environment there.
Ends