Quarter of NSSF plot is a wetland - NEMA
Sep 29, 2008
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has said one quarter of the land sold to NSSF by city businessman Amos Nzeyi and Arma, a company linked to security minister Amama Mbabazi, is a seasonal wetland.
By Milton Olupot
and Mary Karugaba
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has said one quarter of the land sold to NSSF by city businessman Amos Nzeyi and Arma, a company linked to security minister Amama Mbabazi, is a seasonal wetland.
A total of 116 acres out of 463 are covered by seasonal wetland, NEMA director Mugisha Aryamanya told the parliamentary committee probing the land deal. Both Mbabazi and Nzeyi had denied a wetland was part of the land they sold to NSSF.
Geomaps Director John Musungu last week told the committee he had advised NSSF that there was an expanse of wetland but NSSF insisted they needed the wetland as a green belt. The Fund planned to build a housing estate on the land.
The environment body was last week directed by the Committee to inspect the land and confirm whether or not a wetland exists on any of the plots sold to NSSF in Temangalo.
“The lower part of plot 12 is a swamp forest. The wetland section is more prominent here; it is where the Kanyogoga stream is more pronounced. The stream drains into the Mayanja-Kato wetland system,†said NEMA officer Francis Ogwal, presenting the report on the findings.
Describing a wetland as an area which is permanently or seasonally flooded, the report said the land is dominated by water lilies, typha and other species.
Aryamanya, however, noted that the wetland had lost most of its original wetland vegetation since it had been under intensive agriculture. On the fish ponds, NEMA said they had been abandoned due to lack of water.
“A total of 17 fish ponds were established in the wetland but 10 of these had been abandoned. These fish ponds are now covered by water weeds like the water lilies and grass like the typha and cyprus species,†the report states.
“Out of the 17 fish ponds, only seven were functional until December 2007 when they were abandoned, possibly due to inadequate water quantities.â€
The NEMA Act provides for the restricted use of wetlands and prohibits construction, placement of any structure and disturbance by drilling or tunnelling.
It, however, allows for certain activities, such as recreation, cultivation, sewerage filtration, aquaculture and construction of roads provided a permit is granted by NEMA.
NEMA senior legal officer Christine Akello told the committee that after the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution, wetlands can only be used according to the law. “If you have a title which also has a wetland in it, that part of the land with a wetland has become airâ€.
Responding to concerns from Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) and James Kakooza (NRM) on whether a wetland was needed to construct a sewerage treatment plant, Aryamanya said it was not.
“One of the dangers facing wetlands today is dumping of waste, including sewerage. They (treatment plants) should be located on a wetland as a last resort,†Aryamanya said.
Ssekikubo also demanded to know whether Arma and Nzeyi obtained permission from NEMA to erect fish ponds in the wetland. Aryamanya said they did not.
Former health minister Jim Muhwezi, who has called for the resignation of Mbabazi even before the committee finished its probe, is to appear today.
The committee vice-chairman, Abdul Katuntu, yesterday explained that Muhwezi will appear and testify in regard to his land transaction with Akright.
Muhwezi is said to have sold his land in the vicinity at sh28m per acre in 2006, higher than the sh24m paid by NSSF.
“We are not summoning him because of his recent remarks on NSSF land saga but he is said to have also sold his land at a higher price, compared to what NSSF paid,†he said.
Katuntu said NSSF chiefs are also expected to appear again today before the committee “to have their final say on the dealâ€.
Mbabazi is expected to complete his submission on Thursday. Others scheduled to appear include Christopher Kassami, the permanent secretary of the finance ministry, and the squatters.
Katuntu said the committee will end its public hearings next Tuesday and the report will be out in three weeks.
and Mary Karugaba
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has said one quarter of the land sold to NSSF by city businessman Amos Nzeyi and Arma, a company linked to security minister Amama Mbabazi, is a seasonal wetland.
A total of 116 acres out of 463 are covered by seasonal wetland, NEMA director Mugisha Aryamanya told the parliamentary committee probing the land deal. Both Mbabazi and Nzeyi had denied a wetland was part of the land they sold to NSSF.
Geomaps Director John Musungu last week told the committee he had advised NSSF that there was an expanse of wetland but NSSF insisted they needed the wetland as a green belt. The Fund planned to build a housing estate on the land.
The environment body was last week directed by the Committee to inspect the land and confirm whether or not a wetland exists on any of the plots sold to NSSF in Temangalo.
“The lower part of plot 12 is a swamp forest. The wetland section is more prominent here; it is where the Kanyogoga stream is more pronounced. The stream drains into the Mayanja-Kato wetland system,†said NEMA officer Francis Ogwal, presenting the report on the findings.
Describing a wetland as an area which is permanently or seasonally flooded, the report said the land is dominated by water lilies, typha and other species.
Aryamanya, however, noted that the wetland had lost most of its original wetland vegetation since it had been under intensive agriculture. On the fish ponds, NEMA said they had been abandoned due to lack of water.
“A total of 17 fish ponds were established in the wetland but 10 of these had been abandoned. These fish ponds are now covered by water weeds like the water lilies and grass like the typha and cyprus species,†the report states.
“Out of the 17 fish ponds, only seven were functional until December 2007 when they were abandoned, possibly due to inadequate water quantities.â€
The NEMA Act provides for the restricted use of wetlands and prohibits construction, placement of any structure and disturbance by drilling or tunnelling.
It, however, allows for certain activities, such as recreation, cultivation, sewerage filtration, aquaculture and construction of roads provided a permit is granted by NEMA.
NEMA senior legal officer Christine Akello told the committee that after the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution, wetlands can only be used according to the law. “If you have a title which also has a wetland in it, that part of the land with a wetland has become airâ€.
Responding to concerns from Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) and James Kakooza (NRM) on whether a wetland was needed to construct a sewerage treatment plant, Aryamanya said it was not.
“One of the dangers facing wetlands today is dumping of waste, including sewerage. They (treatment plants) should be located on a wetland as a last resort,†Aryamanya said.
Ssekikubo also demanded to know whether Arma and Nzeyi obtained permission from NEMA to erect fish ponds in the wetland. Aryamanya said they did not.
Former health minister Jim Muhwezi, who has called for the resignation of Mbabazi even before the committee finished its probe, is to appear today.
The committee vice-chairman, Abdul Katuntu, yesterday explained that Muhwezi will appear and testify in regard to his land transaction with Akright.
Muhwezi is said to have sold his land in the vicinity at sh28m per acre in 2006, higher than the sh24m paid by NSSF.
“We are not summoning him because of his recent remarks on NSSF land saga but he is said to have also sold his land at a higher price, compared to what NSSF paid,†he said.
Katuntu said NSSF chiefs are also expected to appear again today before the committee “to have their final say on the dealâ€.
Mbabazi is expected to complete his submission on Thursday. Others scheduled to appear include Christopher Kassami, the permanent secretary of the finance ministry, and the squatters.
Katuntu said the committee will end its public hearings next Tuesday and the report will be out in three weeks.