Senior Reporter
Farmers in the Kigezi sub-region, represented by Muhangi and Partners Advocates, have submitted a petition to Parliament protesting against President Yoweri Museveni’s directive on wetland eviction.
President Museveni has consistently stressed the importance of Ugandans vacating wetland areas as part of efforts to restore the environment. In late 2023, he issued a directive for the forceful eviction of individuals still cultivating in wetlands.
However, the farmers, led by Nzeirwe Denis Ndyomugyenyi, Chairperson of the Kigezi Farmers’ Association, argue that local leaders are threatening eviction from reclaimed lands in Kigezi without considering the consequences on community livelihoods or developing agreed-upon mitigation measures with the communities.
Ndyomugyenyi, a former Kyankwanzi RDC, expressed his opposition to President Museveni’s directive during a media address at the White Horse Inn in the Central Division of Kabale Municipality yesterday, stating that evicting farmers from wetlands would hinder economic development in Kigezi by disrupting the region’s primary agricultural activities, which are vital to its development plans.
Julius Arinaitwe, an environmentalist, farmer, and association member, also opposed President Museveni’s directive, emphasizing the importance of compensating individuals before evicting them from wetlands. He stressed the sustainable utilization of reclaimed lands by farmers to address food insecurity in their communities.
Regarding the legal aspect, Counsel Justus Muhangi of Muhangi and Partners Advocates highlighted the necessity for the government to conduct a study before evicting people from wetlands.
Last month, political leaders such as Nelson Nshangabasheija, Kabale district LC5 Chairman, and Ronald Bagamuhunda, district youth councilor, also opposed the President’s directive. They conducted a tour of Kabale district and hosted radio talk shows to criticize the implementation exercise.
Nshangabasheija and Bagamuhunda urged locals to resist the directives, citing potential economic and food security challenges, and demanded compensation of 200 million Shillings each from President Museveni for affected locals to relocate to unaffected areas.
