By Richard Onapatum
Kumi district authorities have commenced community sensitisation against wetland degradation.
The programme scheduled to last eight days (8) seeks to guide the community to engage in alternative projects using available government programmes.
The initiative targeting the whole district kick started with the communities in Ogooma and Kadami sub counties on Tuesday 20th-Feb-2024
The Resident District Commissioner Kumi Ahamada Washaki, appealed to those encroaching wetlands to leave immediately in a well guided manner.
RDC Ahamada adds that the dangers and hazards they face while in the wetlands puts them in the vicious cycle of poverty.
“We guided them to leave the wetland and engage in other available livelihood projects using available government programmes.” said Ahamada
He was quick to note the Parish Development Model, where one gets a million shillings to engage in agricultural production. he said others can opt for Emyooga, where one can also get upto 2m for small business.
He encouraged the the Elderly, PWDs,women and youth to utilize the available grants to change their livelihoods other than encroaching on wetlands.
He said wetlands could only be used for lucrative fish farming at the periphery but not for settlement and agriculture which has become a common phenomenon amongst communities living near the wetlands.
We want all these people to vacate these wetlands and give us space to rejuvenate them.
“We do not expect them to remain there because force will be used against them by arresting and prosecuting all the culprits before courts of law.” Ahamada warned.
Section 36 of the National Environment Act provides for the protection of wetlands, prohibits reclamation, erection of illegal structures, and empowers authorities to demolish any structure that is fixed in, on, under, or above any wetland.
The Act also empowers districts to manage wetlands within their jurisdictions and ensure that their boundaries are clearly demarcated so that even as water levels and wetland vegetation recedes, the communities are clear on where the boundaries lie.