Authorities in Wakiso District have intensified efforts to restore and protect wetlands, warning individuals who purchased land in protected wetland areas to vacate immediately or face eviction as government enforcement operations continue across the district.
The warning was issued by Wakiso District Wetlands Officer Veronica Nalunga during a major wetland restoration exercise conducted along the Mayanja River wetland in the areas of Namayumba, Kakiri and Gobero.
The operation, carried out jointly by officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Police and the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), resulted in the destruction of illegal developments and crops, including sugarcane plantations, vegetable gardens, maize fields, eucalyptus trees and poultry structures established within the wetland.
Nalunga said individuals who purchased land in wetlands had been misled by sellers and should seek accountability from those who facilitated the transactions.
“Anyone who bought land in a wetland should return to the person who sold it to them and to the leaders who authorized the transaction. They bought air because wetlands belong to the government and must be protected. We are urging them to vacate immediately,” she said.
The enforcement exercise targeted more than 15 acres of encroached wetland, with security personnel deployed to ensure the operation proceeded without interruption.
Before the exercise commenced, police officers, UPDF personnel, district officials and environmental experts held a briefing to coordinate the operation and ensure it was conducted in accordance with the law.
Police commanders urged officers to remain disciplined and follow instructions from environmental experts to avoid unnecessary confrontations and misuse of firearms during the exercise.
The Ministry of Water and Environment's Head of Enforcement Operations, Geoffrey Ssekkeba, said the operation was guided by officially established boundary markers separating wetlands from dry land.
“We are following the demarcation lines that clearly distinguish the wetland from the surrounding land. Any activity or crop found within the protected wetland area is illegal and must be removed,” Ssekkeba said.
In Gobero, officials discovered a poultry farm operating within the swamp and ordered its removal as part of the restoration exercise.
Nalunga expressed concern that many of the affected residents had previously received warnings and sensitisation on wetland conservation but had continued to encroach on protected areas.
“We have spent years educating communities about the importance of wetlands and warning them against encroachment. We even installed boundary markers, but some people continue to ignore the regulations,” she said.
She emphasized that the restoration campaign would continue across Wakiso District, particularly in areas where encroachers have not yet established permanent structures.
“These operations are ongoing and will not stop. Our focus now is on areas where people are still beginning to settle or cultivate wetlands before the damage becomes irreversible,” Nalunga added.
Some residents affected by the operation expressed dissatisfaction, arguing that they had invested significant resources in the destroyed crops and developments.
However, government officials maintained that restoring wetlands remains essential for environmental conservation, flood control and the protection of water resources.
The latest exercise forms part of the government's nationwide campaign to reclaim degraded wetlands and strengthen environmental protection measures aimed at preserving Uganda’s natural ecosystems for future generations.