The president of the Republic of Uganda Rtd Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has advised the general public especially those who settled in wetlands to vacate peacefully without any interference.
During a televised address yesterday, Mr. Museveni, the commander-in-chief applauded the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) for their effort to reclaim degraded areas.
The campaign has led to the resurgence of swamps destroyed by human settlement.
“Some people whether they know it or not that we are not getting so much rain, they would like Uganda to be like Karamojja. That is what they are working for. Bagala Uganda yona effuke nga Karamoja. The rain source which is here, they want to make it dry. We are very busy destroying it. I don’t know if we are enemies of God, I don’t know. But we are enemies of ourselves because God is in Heaven. If we destroy here it is not God. It is us, ” President Museveni stated.
However, the public and some leaders have condemned how the government body National Environment Management Authority(NEMA) has been conducting its operations.
Some evictees complained that they were not given prior warnings and their properties including businesses worth millions were destroyed.
Furthermore, some people have lost their lives during the operation.
On that matter, the president advised that it was a human responsibility to have common knowledge of where to settle before deciding on a wetland.
“Blaming NEMA as to why they allowed people to settle in the wetlands and come later to evict them is of course a good point. However, it doesn’t exonerate the encroachers and their backers, who does not know what a wetland is? Are you a Ugandan or from Europe? It is the duty of everybody to defend Uganda’s survival. In any case in the matter of environment, we have no choice. Uganda can not be destroyed and we simply watch. Please all the people in the wetlands leave peacefully. You have done enough damage. We are not prosecuting you, it is an amnesty. Simply leave. We can not compensate you for breaking the law,” President Museveni added.
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