The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), with support from the Environmental Protection Police Unit (EPPU) under the Ministry of Water and Environment, has conducted a joint enforcement operation to stop ongoing degradation of the Nakiyanja wetland in Sonde, Kira Municipality, Wakiso District.
This intervention follows reports from three weeks ago indicating that unknown individuals were using heavy trucks, locally referred to as Magulu Kumi, to ferry marram and backfill the wetland to create access to a newly constructed factory in the area.
During the operation, NEMA successfully restored approximately four acres of the degraded wetland, a move the agency says is part of broader, ongoing efforts to restore and protect wetlands across Uganda.
Dr. Barirega Akankwasah, the Executive Director of NEMA, confirmed that the agency has intensified enforcement across the country to halt illegal encroachment and degradation of wetlands.
“This activity contravenes Section 55 of the National Environment Act, Cap. 181,” Dr. Akankwasah stated. “Anyone who encroaches on a wetland commits an offence and, upon conviction, is liable to a fine not exceeding 30,000 currency points or imprisonment not exceeding 12 years—or both.”
NEMA has in recent years ramped up nationwide operations to reclaim wetlands, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, which are increasingly under threat from real estate developments, agriculture, and industrialization. These enforcement actions are aimed at restoring ecological balance and safeguarding Uganda’s natural water filtration systems.
The Nakiyanja wetland is an ecologically critical system. It originates from the foothills of Namilyango Hills in Mukono District and feeds into the Sezibwa River, which eventually drains into Lake Kyoga. Environmental experts warn that reclaiming wetlands like Nakiyanja contributes to increased silting in Uganda’s lakes and diminishes their capacity to filter stormwater.
“In the past, wastewater would take weeks to reach Lake Kyoga. Today, stormwater reaches the lake just minutes after leaving Kampala. This means that the wetland has lost its ability to naturally filter pollutants,” said Dr. Akankwasah.
Residents of Sonde, many of whom have recently suffered from flooding caused by disrupted natural water flows, expressed joy and relief at the operation. The Local Council I Chairperson of Sonde, Mr. Abubaker Yawe, led community members in thanking NEMA for its swift and timely response.
“Our homes have been flooding due to blocked waterways and wetland destruction. We are grateful to NEMA for coming to our rescue before the situation worsened,” Mr. Yawe said.
NEMA reiterated its zero-tolerance policy toward illegal wetland reclamation and has warned developers, land grabbers, and individuals involved in encroachment that they will be prosecuted.
“We are not relenting. Wetlands are not idle land. They are life-support systems, and we will continue to protect them for current and future generations,” Dr. Akankwasah asserted.
