*By Steven Ainganiza 29/05/2013 *
*Fort Portal*
Kabarole Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based
Organizations (CBOs) Association (KANCA) has finally named the top
government officials and wealth people who have degraded the environment.
The victims are reported to have encroached the banks of River Mpanga,
swamps and forests in Kabarole district by establishing animal farms,
commercial buildings and crop gardens among other economic activities.
The named officials are Mrs Jean Kaliba the Resident District Commissioner
(RDC) Hoima who destroyed wetlands in Bunyangabu,Dr Abigaba Salvatory the
District veterinary Officer (DVO) Kabarole destroyed wetlands in Karago
town council, Eli Nyakana a business man in Bukuku sub county, Richard
Nyakana former secretary for production and Natural Resources Kabarole is
purported to have destroyed wetlands in in Busoro sub county , Musuga
Charles Kamurasi of Tooro Kingdom destroyed wetlands in Karambi sub county,
George Begumisa an entrepreneur destroyed wetlands in Rubingo parish
Karambi and the owner of Allan’s Resort Maguru South Division Fort Portal.
The report was released by Peter Byakuyamba the research and Advocacy
officer KANCA during a community based monitoring model on improving
accountability and service delivery in the environment sector held at
Kagote SDA hall West division Fort Portal municipality on Wednesday.
Byakuyamba disclosed that these top government and wealth officials have
destroyed the environment through establishing farms in the swamps and
wetlands, planted eucalyptus trees in wetlands and built commercial houses
in different parts of the district when the NEMA and district environment
officials are looking.
As a result, Byakuyamba says the climate has changed and instead of
experiencing two heavy rainy seasons, they are experiencing drought.
Florence Kadoma, the secretary for production and Natural resources
Kabarole explains that they wrote NEMA asking them to take immediate action
and halt the activities but no action has been made yet.
Perezi Mwebesa the Deputy CAO wonders why top district officials are
engaged in land degradation and added that the officials will be taken to
the office of the IGG for investigations.
Elijah Biryabalema deputy RDC however observed the practice is rampant
because the wealth people are conniving with the district technocrats and
NEMA officials.
He notes that if NEMA and Kabarole district do not intervene and take
action against such encroachers we are heading to experiencing drought,
floods among other disasters due to global warming.
Biryabarema tasked the district leaders to empower the office of the
environment and cautioned the officials to do their work professionally to
save the environment from massive destruction.
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