The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has issued an order to partially dismantle an expansion structure owned by Ice Love Company Limited in Nsangi, Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District.
The company was found culpable of constructing the structure without authorization within the Mayanja Kato wetland system.
NEMA’s enforcement branch, the Environment Protection Police Unit, carried out the demolition, taking action after a thorough inspection conducted by NEMA on August 10, 2023.
This inspection focused on the Namaya, Kasenso, and Mwerango wetlands, which together constitute the Mayanja Kato wetland system. The investigation disclosed that the company had violated Section 1153-5 of the National Environment Act.
During the demolition process, only a portion of the unauthorized structure was dismantled, while the warehouse on the same premises remained intact. This decision raised questions among observers.
Dr. Akankwasa Barirega, NEMA’s Executive Director, clarified that they are in the process of identifying the designated zone within which the warehouse falls.
As part of an administrative penalty, NEMA imposed a fine of 50 million Ugandan shillings on the company responsible for the environmental damage. Additionally, NEMA has mandated Ice Love Company Limited to commence the restoration of the wetland to its original condition.
Despite efforts to contact Ice Love Company Limited for comment, the company did not respond. However, Major Joshuah Karamaji, the Head of Enforcement Operations, shed light on the situation, suggesting that unscrupulous individuals had unlawfully sold the land to Ice Love Company Limited, which unknowingly developed it.
NEMA’s decisive action in this case sends a clear message that environmental preservation is a top priority, and violations will not be tolerated. The agency remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding Uganda’s invaluable wetlands and natural resources, continuously enforcing environmental protection laws and regulations.