Mbale: Residents block wetland demarcation

Police fired teargas and live bullets to disperse angry resident who were protesting the demarcation of Namakole wetland in Mbale in preparation for its restoration.

One person was injured by a stray bullet in the process.

The locals accused government of being the biggest perpetrator of wetland degradation and applying the environment protection law selectively, in favour of foreign investors.

Namakole swamp a key ecosystem which has been a source of livelihood to neighbouring communities who have been relying on it for rice growing for decades.

Yesterday, officials from various government agencies and those from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) pitched camp in Nakaloke sub county to start off the demarcation of Namakole swamp.

This, according to the district environment officer Charles Wakube, followed a series of sensitization meetings with stakeholders.

But the officials faced resistance after locals expressed mixed reactions about the programme that seeks to regulate human activities in the swamp sighting inadequate sensitization over the same.

They accused government of applying environmental laws selectively, targeting the local community as a soft spot while big chunks of wetlands are allocated to foreign investors for rice growing and other economic activities.

As the situation got out of hand, police officer responded by firing tear gas and live bullets to quell the protest marking the end of the exercise.

One person was injured by a stray bullet in the process. The victim was rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

The demarcation programme was suspended indefinitely after locals protested the move citing several fears including uncertainty of their livelihood which they have derived from the swamp for decades.