The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has escalated enforcement operations across the country as it cracks down on activities that threaten ecosystems and compound the impacts of climate change.
According to Naomi Karekaho, NEMA’s Head of Corporate Communications, a string of coordinated actions between November 7 and this week targeted industries and individuals flouting environmental regulations.
On November 7, 2025, NEMA suspended operations at Galaxy Kana Universal Limited, an aluminium and stainless-steel manufacturing company in Kampala, and arrested its directors, Nilux Bhatt and Nimith Bhatt, for persistently releasing toxic emissions into the atmosphere.
Karekaho explained that the factory had been issued a stop notice in December 2024 following complaints of heavy air pollution, but management failed to address the violations.
Air quality assessments carried out inside the factory detected dangerous levels of particulate matter.
NEMA said such pollutants contribute to smog, acid rain, and climate change, with ripple effects that destroy vegetation, reduce soil fertility, contaminate water bodies, and potentially trigger famine.
Health experts warn that long-term exposure to these toxins increases the risk of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular complications, neurological disorders, weakened immunity, and cancer, all of which can lead to severe illness or death.
In northern Uganda, NEMA also halted illegal sand mining along River Aswa in Akangi Village, Ogur Parish, Ogur Sub-county.
The operation, conducted by the authority’s Lira regional office during routine inspections and community sensitisation, targeted individuals extracting sand without authorization.
NEMA reminded the public that sand mining is tightly regulated and requires a permit, with offenders liable to penalties depending on the extent of the violation.
Elsewhere in Kyenjojo District, NEMA impounded two trucks belonging to Kyenjojo Sugar Factory after discovering that the company was discharging industrial waste without a valid discharge permit.
The authority said releasing untreated waste into land or water breaches Regulation 23(b) of the National Environmental Standards for Discharge of Effluent into Water or Land (2020).
Reaffirming its focus on wetland protection, NEMA noted that wetland encroachment remains a criminal offence punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both. However, recent enforcement—most notably in the Lubigi wetland—has reignited public debate, with communities urging the government to prioritise sensitisation before punitive action.
Some residents argue that limited awareness and economic struggles drive them into environmentally risky activities.
NEMA insists that while community education is key, strict enforcement is necessary to avert long-term environmental degradation that could undermine ecological stability, food security, and public health.
With climate risks intensifying, the authority says such operations will continue nationwide as part of its mandate to safeguard Uganda’s natural resources.
