In a resolute move to safeguard Uganda’s precious wetlands, the National Environmental Authority (NEMA), the country’s environmental watchdog, has taken action. Luyima Osama and Nahwera Jonas found themselves on the wrong side of the law when arrested for wetland degradation in Sheema District.
Their fate was sealed when they appeared before the authorities on September 7 and were promptly remanded to Sheema prison. Western Uganda’s wetlands have been under siege from illegal encroachment through farming, settlement, and murram dumping.
NEMA, along with environmental police and allied agencies, initiated a series of operations to reclaim these vital ecosystems. In a remarkable feat, over three hectares of Kyabajwa wetland in Itojo parish, Ntungamo district, were restored, marking a significant win for environmental conservation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Water and Environment led operations to dismantle a boundary wall erected within a Namanve wetland, sending a strong message against wetland encroachment. And in Lira, nine cultivators were apprehended along with their farming tools for planting rice in the Oyapoyera Cell wetland.
These actions represent the government’s steadfast commitment to protecting Uganda’s invaluable wetlands, ensuring a greener, more sustainable future for all.”