Tension gripped Mukono Municipality after environmental authorities ordered residents who have constructed homes in protected wetlands to vacate immediately ahead of a planned demolition exercise by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
The directive was issued during a meeting convened by municipal environmental officials led by Mukono Municipality Environment Officer George Masengere.
The meeting attracted residents from several affected areas, many of whom expressed frustration and concern over the impending evictions.
Masengere said the municipality was giving wetland occupants an opportunity to leave voluntarily before enforcement teams move in to implement demolition orders.
“We are advising people to vacate these wetlands before they are forcibly evicted. These settlements were established illegally in protected areas and enforcement is inevitable,” Masengere said.
The announcement triggered strong reactions from residents, some of whom accused municipal authorities of inconsistency and unfair treatment. They argued that they had invested substantial resources in constructing their homes and were shocked to learn that the properties now face demolition.
Joyce Nakawuka, a resident of Butebe Cell, said the decision had left her devastated.
“I have spent my savings constructing this home, and now I am being told it could be demolished,” she said.
Joachim Sendi, chairperson of Lweeza Cell, appealed to government authorities to compensate affected residents if the land is reclaimed.
“Many people have used their hard-earned money to build these houses. If the government insists on reclaiming the land, it should first compensate the residents,” Sendi said.
He also questioned the legality of some of the planned demolitions, arguing that certain wetland areas in Lweeza have not been officially gazetted.
Several residents further accused Mukono Municipality of approving building plans and collecting annual licence fees from developers in areas now being classified as wetlands. They questioned why authorities allowed construction to proceed if the land was protected.
A section of the affected residents vowed to seek legal redress, saying they would challenge the planned evictions and demolitions in court.
Despite the resistance, municipal authorities insist the enforcement exercise is necessary to protect the environment and public safety.
Masengere noted that settlements in wetlands increase the risk of flooding and environmental degradation, adding that the municipality would proceed with enforcement if residents fail to vacate voluntarily.
According to municipal officials, the demolition exercise will target developments in Kiwanga, Lwanda, and Kasokoso, where residents are alleged to have encroached on the Nakiyanja Wetland in Goma Division.
Mukono Municipality hosts several wetland ecosystems that environmental authorities say are under increasing pressure from encroachment and unregulated development. These include the Njogezi Stream wetland system, Kame Valley, Nakiyanja, Mwola, and Nakawolole wetlands.
