Rubanda Farmers Defy Museveni’s Wetland Directive.

Rubanda Farmers Defy Museveni’s Wetland Directive.

Rubanda district farmers have chosen to disregard President Museveni’s directive to cease cultivation in wetlands. Despite the presidential order aimed at wetland restoration, the farmers are preparing for the upcoming September planting season, focusing on crops like Irish potatoes in these areas.

Last October, President Museveni issued a directive to vacate and restore wetlands, a measure intended to conserve the degraded environment across Uganda. However, farmers such as Anthony Ainebyona, Promise Kendagano, and Annet Turyasima argue that the lack of available land compels them to continue cultivating in these ecologically sensitive areas.

The farmers emphasize that wetland cultivation yields high returns, enabling them to generate income, educate their children, and feed their families. They insist that the government should allow them to continue their agricultural practices in the wetlands or provide compensation if they are required to vacate. “We don’t have enough land, and that’s why we are cultivating in the wetlands. We are not ready to vacate because the income from wetland cultivation supports our families. We request the government to compensate us if we are to vacate the wetlands,” they state.

William Lubuulya, senior public relations officer at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), urges Kigezi farmers to comply with the presidential directive. In a phone interview with the Nile Post, Lubuulya stressed that the law will be enforced if farmers do not vacate the wetlands. “It’s against the law to encroach on wetlands, and such actions greatly impact our lives. We request all Ugandans to vacate the wetlands and allow them to perform their ecological roles. What is happening in Wakiso will be extended to all parts of the country, including Rubanda,” Lubuulya warned.

State Minister for Water and Environment, Beatrice Anywar, highlighted that Kigezi, Bukedea, and Busoga sub-regions are under special consideration by the president. Anywar explained that the president believes residents in these regions were misled into settling in wetlands by previous administrations. Therefore, the president has directed that residents in these areas should be compensated before being asked to vacate. “The president has clearly stated that people in Kigezi were misled by former governments. He has directed that we find a way to compensate them so that they can peacefully vacate the wetlands, rather than being forced out,” Anywar explained.

As the government plans to extend eviction processes currently happening in Wakiso to other parts of the country, the farmers in Rubanda remain firm in their stance, seeking either permission to continue their practices or compensation for relocation.