NTUNGAMO- The Ntungamo District chairperson Samuel Mucunguzi Rwakigoba has warned to arrest and prosecute rich wetland encroachers in the district.
Mucunguzi said this on Thursday during the project review of Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda Project held at Ntungamo Resort Hotel.
An 8 year project (2017-2025) is being implemented along the Rufuha wetland catchment in Rweikiniro and Kakukuru- Rwenanura Town Council Rwengwe- Kyabwato-Rwoho wetland in Rukoni west Sub County and Rwoho T Council.
Mucunguzi explained that the prosecution is in response to the recent directive by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on wetland encroachment.
The District boss asked all stakeholders to strengthen restoration monitoring and evaluation at different levels in order to unearth the rich people who have adamantly and stubbornly encroached the already restored wetlands.
Mucunguzi commended the technical team led by the district natural resource officer Tumwebaze Dinah for the work done to restore the depleted wetland.
According to senior Natural Resource officer Tumwebaze Dinah, the district has already received over UGX 259M since its inception in 2017.
Tumwebaze disclosed that they have physically restored and demarcated of Rufuha 700 Ha and Rukoni wetland 240 Ha in Ruhaama East constituency.
She highlighted the intended restoration of 450 Hectares of degraded wetland sections Kirera, Mushasha and Kitojo Wards in Rwoho Town Council and Demarcation of 10 Km boundary of wetland.
However, Tumwebaze revealed some challenges they face including reluctance and non-compliance of community members to support demarcation and restoration of degraded wetland sections and Poor attitude of local community members towards government projects.
She also noted that the project is to restore critical wetlands to improve ecosystem services such as ground water recharge, flood control, fishing and agriculture for enhanced livelihoods to the most vulnerable subsistence farming communities.
The Assistant RDC Ntungamo Twakira Daniel Ntoreine said that the rampant cases of wetland encroachment in the district have greatly affected the water quality and environment.
He appealed to the residents to desist from the practice of encroaching on wetlands noting that they would be punished by the law.
Section 55 of the National Environment Management Act 2019 provides that a person who encroaches on a wetland commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment of up to 12 years or a fine of 600 million Shillings.
