KAMPALA – City Lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi Kiwanuka written to the Executive Director of National Environmental Authority (NEMA) seeking proof whether they followed all the required procedures before evicting people from Lubigi Wetland in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District.
Ever since last week, main stream and various social media platforms have been awash with photos of Lubigi residents whose homes were demolished by NEMA accusing them of encroaching on a gazetted wetland.
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This has created a wide debate among members of the general public where by some accuse of the Environmental watch body of violating people’s rights by destroying their homes without prior warning as provided for under the law, as others want NEMA to compensate the victims over illegal eviction.
In his letter dated 17th June 2024, Mabirizi contends that since 10th June 2024, NEMA is demolishing homesteads neighboring Lubigi wetland in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso in a manner against the interests of citizens and in derogation of their constitutionally guaranteed inherent rights to life, family, culture, health, clean environment, property and more importantly, freedom from inhuman & degrading treatment.
“I spent a bigger part of 15th June 2024 interacting with several families stranded in your wreckage and I discovered that contrary to Sections a; 128 of National Environment Act, 2019 (NEMA), you did not carry out mandatory thorough inspection to establish whether the target areas were or are still wetlands, b. 129 of NEA, if any inspection was done, you did not take into account the evidence obtained from the inspection process.”
“ C. 131 of NEA, the victims were not effectively served with your Restoration orders thereby impeding their right to apply for review pursuant to S. 132, and d. 133(1)(b), your team did not act in the best interests of the victims, on whose behalf they were required to act since they engaged in theft, sexual assault & harassment as well as child molestation under guise of environmental restoration.” reads part of Mabirizi’s letter
Therefore, Mabirizi based on Paragraphs XXVI(i-ii)& XXIX€ of Uganda Constitution National Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy that “All lawful measures shall be taken to expose, combat and eradicate corruption and abuse or misuse of power by those holding political and other public offices.” And “…it shall be the duty of every citizen- to promote democracy and the rule of law”
“ I request for certified copies of Inspection Reports , received restoration Notices, Orders and Inventory in respect of June 2024 LUBIGI ‘WETLAND’ Demolitions, within the 21 days set by law.”
