Leaders in Kigezi Sub-region are preparing for a key meeting to address critical issues, with a primary focus on the ongoing wetland eviction efforts.
In a letter dated July 22, 2024, Rtd General Caleb Akandwanaho, the coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation and Senior Presidential Advisor on Defense and Security, invited key figures from the Kigezi sub-region.
The invitees include all five regional ministers, members of parliament, resident district commissioners, Internal Security officers, LC5 chairpersons, NRM district chairpersons, district youth chairpersons, district speakers, mayors, town clerks, and chief administrative officers.
The meeting is set to take place on August 9 and 10, 2024, at Cephas Inn in Kabale District.
General Akandwanaho’s letter emphasized Uganda’s commitment to environmental sustainability as outlined in the NDP II and further enhanced by the NDP III.
He highlighted the importance of leadership involvement in successfully implementing presidential directives on sustainable development, including the management of wetlands.
The letter also noted that Operation Wealth Creation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Environment and the National Management Authority, is organizing this meeting to align with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s directive on wetland management. The goal is to balance environmental protection with the impact on local livelihoods.
The meeting will conclude with remarks from Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa on Saturday. Nelson Nshangabasheija, Kabale’s LC5 chair, expressed support for the meeting but criticized the hasty implementation of the presidential directive. He called for compensation plans and alternative livelihoods for those affected by the wetland restrictions.
Leaders like Moses Kamuntu, the Rubanda County West MP, and Stephen Ampaire Kasyaba, the Rubanda LC5 chair, have voiced concerns over the directive’s execution. Meanwhile, farmers in Rubanda District have continued planting crops, defying the government’s directive to vacate and restore wetlands, which led to previous evictions.
State Minister for Water and Environment Beatrice Anywar has noted that regions including Kigezi are receiving specific presidential guidance due to past wetland encroachments. She is working with development partners to find alternative solutions and mitigate conflicts.
President Museveni recently affirmed support for the National Environment Management Authority’s efforts to evict encroachers and urged those affected to acknowledge the government’s historical records on wetlands. Currently, the eviction operations are focused on Wakiso District, with plans to extend to Kigezi, potentially impacting around 32,000 households in Kabale, Rukiga, and Rubanda.
