Cancel land titles issued after the 1995 constitution-NEMA

In Summary
  • Cancel all land titles in wetlands which were issued after the 1995 constitution.
  • The authority can only regulate some of those activities because majority are private owned with titles
Image: courtesy photo

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has asked the government to be firm and only compensate those issued before the 1995 constitution.

While appearing before the presidential affairs committee of Parliament the Executive Director NEMA  Akankwasa Barirega said the titles that were issued after 1995 in wetlands are illegal because the constitution had gazetted the wetlands as public land.

Akankwasa was responding to concerns of MPs over current developments in wetlands such as rice growing in Lwera and construction of factories and residentials in wetlands.

He said that the authority can only regulate some of those activities because the majority are privately owned with titles and if cancelled they might attract litigation against the government. 

Akankwasa also asked Parliament to amend the NEMA act in order to give them powers to arrest, investigate and prosecute the people encroaching on the wetlands.

He said that the current act has loopholes that make it difficult for them to arrest the perpetrators.

He also called for a well-facilitated police environment unit and tribunal to avoid depending on other government agencies which at times delay prosecution for the offenders.

Akankwasa also wants the distance for someone to develop near a river or lake shower to be increased from 200 metres to 500 to avoid people staying on wetland shores due to increasing water levels.