Bugolobi swamp encroached upon
THE boundaries of Kampala’s most vital swamp, the Nakivubo Wetland, are to be adjusted inward because environment authorities could not evict heavy-weight encroachers in Bugolobi.
By Charles Wendo and Gerald Tenywa
THE boundaries of Kampala’s most vital swamp, the Nakivubo Wetland, are to be adjusted inward because environment authorities could not evict heavy-weight encroachers in Bugolobi.
The wetland between Bugolobi and Namuwongo protects Lake Victoria from pollution by filtering lake-bound waste water from all over the city as well as semi-treated sewage.
Encroachment on the wetland has led to increased pollution of Lake Victoria.
The National Wetlands programme has declined to release a list of the encroachers, saying they are yet to compile it.
However, The New Vision has learnt people who own or have interests in plots on the fringes of the wetland on the Bugolobi side include the energy minister, Syda Bbumba, Gladys Mukula, wife of health state minister Mike Mukula and some senior army officers.
The Italian International School and Royal Suites are also built in the wetland.
A businessman named Kidde, who intended to build apartments, was recently ordered by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to stop filling the swamp with murram.
Their plots fall within the natural limits of the wetland but are outside the proposed new boundary set by the National Wetlands Programme, Kampala City Council (KCC) surveyors and NEMA.
The wetlands commissioner, Paul Mafabi, said the three regulators (Wetlands, KCC and NEMA) had agreed that due to socio-economic reasons, they could not evict long-established encroachers who had erected expensive structures.
The early encroachers such as the Italian International School now form the landmarks for the new boundary.
The boundary adjustment will accommodate tens of encroachers in Bugolobi while hundreds of poor ones on the Namuwongo side will be thrown out.
Mafabi denied that the decision was made to favour powerful people.
“We don’t know them. We don’t know who is big. But our understanding is that nobody is above the law,†he said.
Wetland inspectors said Bugolobi has encroachers who are aware of environmental laws but who muscle their way into the wetland.
The NEMA Executive Director, Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, said many of the developments on the wetland were made before the enactment of the 1995 National Environment Statute.
However, he warned, even those who acquired their plots before 1995 should not carry out any developments that violate the law.
Bumba and Mukula are now safe because their plots fall outside the new boundary.
Bumba said, “The plot I have is not a wetland. It is between two built-up areas. I acquired it in 1992 and I have not made any development on it.â€
Mafabi said a map showing the boundaries would be published soon so that anybody who lays claim to property within the boundary can sort it out with environment officials.
THE boundaries of Kampala’s most vital swamp, the Nakivubo Wetland, are to be adjusted inward because environment authorities could not evict heavy-weight encroachers in Bugolobi.
The wetland between Bugolobi and Namuwongo protects Lake Victoria from pollution by filtering lake-bound waste water from all over the city as well as semi-treated sewage.
Encroachment on the wetland has led to increased pollution of Lake Victoria.
The National Wetlands programme has declined to release a list of the encroachers, saying they are yet to compile it.
However, The New Vision has learnt people who own or have interests in plots on the fringes of the wetland on the Bugolobi side include the energy minister, Syda Bbumba, Gladys Mukula, wife of health state minister Mike Mukula and some senior army officers.
The Italian International School and Royal Suites are also built in the wetland.
A businessman named Kidde, who intended to build apartments, was recently ordered by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to stop filling the swamp with murram.
Their plots fall within the natural limits of the wetland but are outside the proposed new boundary set by the National Wetlands Programme, Kampala City Council (KCC) surveyors and NEMA.
The wetlands commissioner, Paul Mafabi, said the three regulators (Wetlands, KCC and NEMA) had agreed that due to socio-economic reasons, they could not evict long-established encroachers who had erected expensive structures.
The early encroachers such as the Italian International School now form the landmarks for the new boundary.
The boundary adjustment will accommodate tens of encroachers in Bugolobi while hundreds of poor ones on the Namuwongo side will be thrown out.
Mafabi denied that the decision was made to favour powerful people.
“We don’t know them. We don’t know who is big. But our understanding is that nobody is above the law,†he said.
Wetland inspectors said Bugolobi has encroachers who are aware of environmental laws but who muscle their way into the wetland.
The NEMA Executive Director, Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, said many of the developments on the wetland were made before the enactment of the 1995 National Environment Statute.
However, he warned, even those who acquired their plots before 1995 should not carry out any developments that violate the law.
Bumba and Mukula are now safe because their plots fall outside the new boundary.
Bumba said, “The plot I have is not a wetland. It is between two built-up areas. I acquired it in 1992 and I have not made any development on it.â€
Mafabi said a map showing the boundaries would be published soon so that anybody who lays claim to property within the boundary can sort it out with environment officials.