By Amanya Hannington | Friday 17, 2026
Kagadi
The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) held a community meeting in Muhorro Sub-County to sensitize residents on the importance of conserving the environment, especially wetlands.
The meeting held on Wednesday at Muhorro Sub-County headquarters in Nyamacumu Trading Centre, Kagadi District.
Speaking to Paradigm FM after the meeting, the NEMA Manager for the Albertine Region, based in Hoima City, Ms. Ainebyona Christine, explained that the main purpose of the meeting was to educate the community on the importance of conserving wetlands.
She noted that similar meetings have been conducted and are ongoing in different districts across the Bunyoro/Albertine region to ensure communities understand the role wetlands play in daily life.
Christine revealed that many wetlands in Muhorro Sub-County have been encroached on and degraded, which prompted NEMA to begin the sensitization campaign in the area.
She warned that destruction of wetlands can lead to serious climatic effects such as floods and drought, which negatively impact livelihoods.
Additionally, Christine warned all those encroaching on wetlands and other protected areas to harvest whatever they have planted within the given timeframe and vacate immediately or risk arrest.
She added that enforcement operations will soon begin, targeting lawbreakers and destroying illegal gardens.
In his remarks, the LC III Chairperson of Muhorro Sub-County, Muhumuza Apollo, welcomed the initiative and urged residents to comply with NEMA regulations by vacating wetlands peacefully.
However, some local leaders and residents expressed dissatisfaction over alleged indiscipline and corruption among some NEMA officials.
They accused them of selectively enforcing the law by targeting poor residents while leaving wealthy encroachers untouched.
They argued that this has contributed to continued wetland degradation despite repeated evictions of vulnerable communities, and called for fairness and an end to corruption.
