Traffic Paralysed as NEMA Demolishes Structures in Lubigi

A joint deployment of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and Police has brought traffic on the Northern Bypass to a standstill as they support NEMA’s crackdown on illegal structures in the Rubigi wetland.

By 9:30 a.m., security forces had sealed off the section of the Northern Bypass between Namungona and Kawala zone two to support NEMA’s team in demolishing over 150 houses and businesses still built in the wetland.

Apart from houses, several businesses, including furniture workshops, shops, and offices, are expected to be demolished following a NEMA eviction notice alert issued in 2024.

When the URN reporter arrived at the scene, police and army officers were arresting a group of residents who had attempted to protest against the demolition.

The situation turned chaotic when heavy graders and tractors arrived and immediately began demolishing houses, with residents barred from removing their belongings. Several have been picked up by the security personnel as the grader lazed down properties.

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) carried out several large-scale demolition and eviction operations in the Lubigi wetland over the years to remove illegal structures and restore the swamp. 

The most recent and highly publicized exercise took place in May and June 2024, when hundreds of structures in Nansana and Busega were razed following a presidential directive.

Suluiman Ssenyonga, Chairperson of the Rubigi Carpenters in Kawala zone two, said they received the eviction notice in 2024 and objected by taking the matter to court, where they demanded compensation for their properties. 

He added that the hearing was scheduled for the 16th of next month, but to their shock, NEMA proceeded with the demolition and bypassed the legal process.

“The court served NEMA on the 13th, ordering them to appear and defend themselves on the 16th. But they defied the court order, took matters into their own hands, and began demolishing our properties,” Ssenyonga said before he and others were arrested by security personnel.

He said several government projects operate in the area, including PDM and World Bank-funded initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods, but NEMA ignored all of them and went ahead with an illegal operation.