NRM supporters enchroach Nabisasiro wetland

A group of people calling themselves National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters, have occupied Nabisasiro Wetland in Rubaga Division, Kampala despite warning from the line minister; Hon Beatrice Anywar.

In a resolution passed by Cabinet chaired by President Yoweri Museveni, and communicated recently by the Minister of State for Environment Beatrice Anywar, the government with immediate effect banned the growing of rice and other crops in wetlands across the country and gave serious warning to encroachers.

The government said this was done to restore the environment that had been affected by such activities.

The pronouncement came at a time when many wetlands such as that of Lwera on the Masaka-Mbarara highway had been reclaimed to grow rice. Some of the people involved in rice growing include people who have big connections to senior government officials.

Now, as Ugandans wait to see if this ban can bite, the encroachers are occupying Kampala wetlands with ease. At Nabisasiro Wetland, this is between Kibumbiro and Lugala; ‘encroachers’ have erected permanent structures while others erected semi-permanent. These encroachers at Nabisasiro wetland erected big posters of NRM Chairman, who is the president of Uganda.

It is not clear whether these encroachers have the mandate of NRM, but what is clear, they littered the area with NRM posters.

The question is, will Minister Anywar’s ban be enforced going by what is on the ground. When asked whether they are going to compensate those who will be affected by this ban, Anywar said it was such people to compensate the government for the destruction.

Anwyar said that working with the Ministry of Lands, they are going to cancel all land titles of wetlands, lakes and riverbanks, forests and other protected areas and also prosecute those who issued them. She called upon people who have encroached on protected areas to vacate them peacefully before the government evicts them.