Exposed:Top Tycoons, Govt Bosses with Land in Wetlands Named; Titles To Be Cancelled
The Ministry of lands, housing and urban development has named some of Kampala tycoons, media moguls and government bosses with titles in wetlands.
Following a complaint from the ministry of water and environment and National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), they have now been asked to appear for a public hearing on 29th September 2022 in the office of the Commissioner Land Registration at the ministry headquarters and show cause as to why their titles should not be cancelled. These are being accused of holding titles within the Kinawataka wetland belt.
President Musevenis gospel against wetland occupiers has been clear and it remains to be seen whether these tycoon stand any chance of maintaining their land.
THE LIST
Top among the list of businessmen with land titles in the wetland are Sudhir Rupareila through his Meera Investment Limited whereby he has seven free hold land titles within the belt i.e. Plot 2 Hill crescent Banda Kampala, Plot 4 hill crescent also located in Banda and five more plots within the area.
The proprietor of Next Media services Kin Ibrahim Karisa and wife Juliet Tumusiime Karisa also have a freehold title Plot 42 Lake drive land in Luzira Kampala.
Other notable names include Seroma Limited with Plot 2A located in Butabika, Moses Mayanja with Plot 5 Peninsula Close, Mukunda Aggrey Sanyu with Plots 6 and Aqua Close, former Director of Budget Kenneth Mugambe with Plot 94 Lake Drive Nakawa, Cissy Nanyanzi with Plot6A Butabika Road, Kataali Rogers with Plot4-5 Aqua Close in Luzira, Emmanuel Gasaana with Plot 4 Butabika Valley Access, Mulungi Aisha with Plots 2-3 Butabika Valley Road, among many others.
The title holders have also been urged to attend the public hearing without fail and to come along with their documents supporting their claim of ownership of the said land according to Bigira B. Johnson, on behalf of the Commissioner Land Registration.
President Museveni has on different occasions issued warnings directing people to vacate wetlands, but this has met hindrances.
The Minister of Presidency Milly Babalanda Babirye on 14th August, 2022 issued a circular reminding RDCs and RCCs of the presidential directive asking them to rid wetlands of all encroachers.
According to the Ministry of Water and Enviroment 2016 wetland atlas, the national area of wetlands declined by 30% between 1994 and 2008, and in 2014 there was an increase in area under wetlands, this has been a meager 0.03% increase from 26,307km2 in 2008 to 26,315km2 in 2014 (MWE2014).
The report also shows that the area under wetlands in the different river basins is on the decline. The extent of decline varies from over 53.8% in the Lake Victoria basin to 14.7% in the Lake Albert drainage basin.