NEMA destroys crops in Rwampara wetlands

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) have destroyed gardens and plantations in Orunyere wetland in Rwampara District.

The wetlands located in Kinyamufura Cell, Ndeija Sub-county, were sustaining some 100 families who cultivated in it.

The team of NEMA officials and local security led by Resident District Commissioners, with the help of hired hands, razed down and uprooting crops such as cabbages, maize, and banana plantains on Wednesday.

When the garden owners saw the team, they fled.

According to Jane Asiimwe Muhindo, the Rwampara RDC, despite several warnings and attempts to end the encroachment, the dwellers were persistent, prompting a third operation on the wetland.

“We have had an operation before, actually this is the third time," Ms Asiimwe said.

"They keep coming back because Ugandans are stubborn, but through the parish chief, we have been able to identify some of the encroachers and we will prosecute them.”

She said security team will carry out weekly monitoring of the place going forward.

Speaking to Nile Post, Yonah Erongu, the NEMA environment protection officer for South western Uganda, said they had no enforcement team at the regional office but this has been resolved.

“Prior we have had no force but of recent the force has been gazetted, now the operation will be in these areas and the encroachers won’t come back anymore,” Erongu said.

Asked why they waited until the farmers were close to harvest, Patrick Arinaitwe, the Rwampara district environment officer, said they faced funding gap to carry out the constant monitoring to deter wetland encroachers.

“Our environment department is less funded with a small budget of Shs9 million for the entire financial year, that really can’t allow us to do much but we are working within our means to do our job,” he said.

The Orunyere wetland serves as a demarcation line separating the territories of Ntungamo and Rwampara, spanning a distance of approximately 30km.