KAMPALA: Hundreds of residents of Lubigi wetland in Kawaala Zone whose houses were demolished by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) on Thursday are still stranded after many spend the night in the open. KFM’s reporters visited the area earlier today and found some residents were sheltering under tarpaulins, while others had erected temporary tents to accommodate their families after failing to secure alternative accommodation.
The affected residents say they have nowhere else to go and cannot afford rent for new housing, forcing many to remain on their plots despite the demolition of what they used to call home. However, NEMA has warned that anyone who attempts to illegally reoccupy the wetland will face arrest as authorities continue enforcing the eviction from the protected area.
The demolitions are part of an ongoing nationwide operation by NEMA aimed at reclaiming wetlands and restoring natural drainage channels that have been encroached on by illegal structures.
NEMA says the demolition exercise in Kawaala II has now been completed, and the next phase will involve restoring the water channels to ensure proper water flow and prevent flooding in the area.
“NEMA has successfully concluded restoration of Lubigi wetland in Kawaala Zone. Significant progress was registered following the expiry of the voluntary relocation grace period issued in 2025 to persons illegally occupying sections of the wetland. A coordinated restoration exercise conducted on Thursday May 28, 2026 successfully restored close to 25 acres of degraded wetland and led to the removal of 58 illegal structures established within the protected ecosystem”, said Ms. Naomi Karekaho, the Authority’s Head, Corporate Communications.
The operation was carried out by NEMA with support from the Wetlands Management Department under the Ministry of Water and Environment, respective local governments, the Uganda Police Force, and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.
According to the Authority, the restoration of Lubigi Wetland is expected to yield significant environmental and public benefits, including improved flood control, enhanced water filtration, biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and improved public health and sanitation for surrounding communities and the wider Kampala Metropolitan Area.
NEMA further informs the public that wetland restoration and enforcement operations will continue in other degraded wetland systems where restoration orders had earlier been issued but not complied with. These include affected sections of Kaliddubi, Kyetinda, and other critical wetland ecosystems across the country.
While the ongoing restoration efforts are intended to safeguard the constitutional right of all Ugandans to a clean and healthy environment, as opposed to allowing a few private individuals to illegally degrade and benefit from protected ecosystems at the expense of the wider public interest and future generations, the Authority notes that a few individuals attempted to resist the operation and mobilise others against the enforcement teams.
NEMA spokesperson Ms. Karekaho confirms that five defiant and violent suspects were arrested and are currently detained at Lubigi Police Station pending further action.
Wetland degradation is an offence under Section 55 of the National Environment Act, Cap 181, but illegal encroachment, dumping, construction, and other activities that degrade wetlands persist in many parts of Uganda, and Lubigi wetlands is just one of them.
The Lubigi eviction has been unsuccessfully challenged legally by various groups including the Uganda Law Society (ULS). Posting on his X handle, the ULS president Isaac Semakadde says the matter has been filed before court and a hearing is set for June 16th, 2026, but was shocked to see NEMA defy a court order staying the eviction and instead bringing graders to destroy people’s lives.
“On May 13, 2026 ULS lawyers served NEMA with court documents and a hearing was set for a stay of execution. NEMA received those papers and defied them, brig graders on May 28th anyway”, Mr Ssemakadde wrote.
However, Ms. Karekaho says that while there were legal documents, there was no such court order of injunction. “Yes there were legal documents indeed, but they are not binding on our part. The court did not issue an order or injunction on restoration activities”, she explained.
