Museveni asks encroachers to voluntarily vacate wetlands

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has asked persons occupying wetlands in the Ankole region to voluntary withdrawal from the catchment areas, in order to avoid effects of forceful eviction.

The president was addressing a press briefing at Mbarara State Lodge on Thursday night, soon after the concluding the sensitization of Political Leaders and Youths on Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) at Kakyeka stadium.

He said that the encroachers irrespective of the social status must put into consideration the effects of their activities on nature, citing the silting of water bodies, resulting in a water crisis in urban centers. He emphasized that the depletion of the environment must stop.

Museveni expressed concern that Mbarara municipality now gets its water from River Kagyera because River Rwizi catchment area is no longer able to provide adequate water for domestic and commercial purposes.  He added that the government is moving ahead with a plan to nullify all land titles that were issued in gazette wetlands.

Museveni told journalists that he was disturbed by locals who empty sewerage into River Rwizi referring to them as witches. He called for the arrest of those engaged in the practice and have the houses in question demolished.

The contamination of River Rwizi has been a major concern over a long period of time. The National Environment Management Authority-NEMA faults the leaders of Mbarara Municipality, Isingiro and Mbarara District for failing to end activities that contaminate the water body.

The river, a lifeline of millions of people in the region, is also a source of water for major towns in Ankole region. However, residents in Mbarara Municipality, parts of Isingiro and Buhweju continue to erect toilets on the riverbank and empty them in the river especially during the rainy season.

NEMA coordinator for southwestern Uganda Jeconious Musingwire says that authorities in the districts where the vice is highly practised have failed to enforce the law, and hold liable all individuals who are putting at risk, the lives of millions of people whose livelihood depends on the river.

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation –NWSC spends an average of 900 million Shillings per month on chemicals to treat water that is supplied through the national grid.

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