NEWS- Hon. Midius Natukunda Kaharata, the Rukungiri district Woman Member of Parliament has presented to the floor of Parliament a matter of National concern regarding the massive destruction in Ruhinda Sub County in the guise of wetland restoration.
In last week’s plenary convened by the speaker, Rt. Hon. Anita Among, Hon. Natukunda Midius expressed concern over the mode in which NEMA together with Rukungiri District Environment and Water offices used in executing the Presidential directive on wetlands restoration.
In October this year, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni issued warning shots at Sub-County Chiefs and Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) for failing to implement his directives to evict wetland encroachers threatening to fire those that will fail to act.
In accordance with the directive, Rukungiri authorities conducted an operation last month (November) in Ruhinda Sub County, majorly in the parishes of Burombe, Rwamugoma, Kicwamba, and certain areas of Ndere.
The operation affected over 200 households whose over 300 acres of gardens that included plantations of sugarcane, beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, coffee, bananas and trees that were slashed down.
After losing their properties, residents cried out to authorities accusing Rukungiri law enforcers from the water and environmental departments, led by Twekwase Deus and Caroline Mbabazi of organizing what they described as an illegal and brutal eviction.
The situation forced the District Woman Member of Parliament to raise the issue on the floor of Parliament for action, especially compensating those whose properties were destroyed during the operation due to over stretch from what the guidelines describe as a wetland area.
Hon. Natukunda explained that the way the directive was executed was inappropriate since individuals were not made aware prior to the operation adding that the implementors failed to take into account other options for survival.
The legislator Hon. Midius Natukunda advised the people of Ruhinda, particularly those whose properties were destroyed during the operation to remain calm as the government will take care of their concerns and provide compensation.
The development however didn’t go well with the Rukungiri District Chief Administrative Officer Hajji Waswa Masokoi who came out and cautioned leaders and residents to desist from threatening his staff stressing that their operations are lawful.
Masokoi was speaking to officials from Rukungiri district and other Buyanja Sub County leaders where he was attending a groundbreaking ceremony for the staff quarters project at Buyanja Health Center III in Buyanja town council, Rukungiri district.
The statements by the CAO followed a social media outburst in which Ruhinda locals accused Rukungiri district leaders of illegally demarcating their lands and clearing their properties while executing the wetland restoration project as per the Presidential directive.
CAO Masokoyi made it very evident that the district was given a mandate to restore wetlands by the Ministry of Water and Environment adding that they were funded to carry it out.
He stressed that the operation began in the Sub Counties of Bwambara, Bugangari, Nyakishenyi, and Nyarushanje, now in Ruhinda and that they are soon extending it to all other Sub Counties in the district.
Masokoyi went on to say that some individuals are trying to mislead others by posing as lawyers, an act he said that they are wasting their time since the district wants to see residents out of the wetlands.
