Police fired teargas to disperse residents of Nansana, wakiso district whom they suspected were planning a demonstration over their eviction from Lubigi wetland last week. The National Environment Management Authority evicted hundreds of encroachers from the wetland to restore it. Today, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi visited the former residents.
Joel Ssenyonyi made these remarks on June 17, 2024, while addressing the residents of Lubigi, where he protested the discriminatory nature NEMA had taken in wetland evictions. He wondered why factories, petrol stations, and police stations are allowed to build in wetlands while residents are being ruthlessly evicted from Lubigi without any discussions or notices issued ahead of the evictions.
“I have passed by the same place, and there is still a police station and fuel stations. So, if the evictions are going on, why should they discriminate? There are known wetlands in Uganda that are full of factories; these ones aren’t being bothered. Perhaps it is because the owners of these businesses have connections to the government or are employed by the government; that is why we are asking ourselves; Why discriminate among citizens in Uganda?” Ssenyonyi Said.
“We have been raising concerns about human rights violations, and for long, our concerns have been ignored because they are raised by members of the National Unity Platform (NUP),” he said.
“When you compare what happened at the Anti-Corruption Court and what happened here, we are all concerned. I have been told some of you have been here for 5 years, some 10 years, yet there is a gentleman who said he has lived here for 26 years. But you spent all this time and constructed when the Government was watching. And some of you established businesses within these premises and have been paying taxes. So if the Government says these people have occupied these premises illegally, why leave them built and stay for this long and collect taxes from businesses established on illegal premises?” he asked.
The Leader of Opposition disclosed that he had a conversation with Barirega Akankwasah, Executive Director of NEMA, urging him to engage in dialogue with residents and reach a mutually beneficial understanding before carrying out evictions.
Ssenyonyi emphasized the importance of on-ground assessment, rather than relying on remote decision-making. He questioned whether NEMA had consulted with residents, stressing the need for listening to their concerns and finding common ground.
He advocated for a meeting between local leaders, evicted residents, and NEMA representatives to address the issue. Ssenyonyi expressed his disapproval of NEMA’s remote control approach, emphasizing the need for direct engagement with the affected community.
“I even asked him if they had held discussions with you people and I cautioned him that as NEMA, it isn’t good for the officials to sit in their offices and work on remote control. These are Ugandans and you have been collecting taxes from them, why not go on the ground and hold talks with them? You listen to them and they also listen to you so that you have a point of convergence instead of unleashing Police on the locals who ended up destroying people’s property.”
He added: “I told the NEMA Executive Director that there is a lot of destruction that has taken place and there are more places that have been marked for eviction, I asked him to allow us to hold a meeting with the local leaders around Lubigi, also representatives from the people who have been evicted so that they listen to you. And I assured him that these people are Ugandans, that is why they aren’t in the bush hiding, so before anything else happens, let this meeting be held. Have they ever held meetings with you? That is what I am against, I don’t want these people to operate on remote control.”