Farmers accuse Masaka environment officers of selective law enforcement

Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Masaka District Environment and Natural Resource Officers are on the spot for selective enforcement of environmental laws.

The district natural resource officers backed by the police are conducting operations in which they have cut down several acres of seasonal crops and plants grown in the different wetlands, with an aim of restoring them to mitigate adverse climate change effects.

But the operation has not gone down well with farmers in Buwunga sub-county who have instead lashed out at the enforcement officers whom they accuse of only targeting small subsistence farmers over other midsized business persons who also operate from the wetland.

Moses Waliggo and Patrick Sseremba, some of the farmers who had planted tomatoes and cabbages in a wetland in Butenzi parish, Buwunga sub county accuse the enforcement officers of concentrating on the soft targets over other bigger gardens of perennial crops.

According to Waliggo, the enforcement teams ignored coffee and banana plantations cultivated in swamps and targeted seasonal crop farmers who were even willing to vacate after harvesting their crops. While the farmers are aware of the negative effects of environmental destruction, they demand that the law is evenly enforced if the country is to reverse the adverse effects.

Josephine Nakisekka, who had cultivated in the wetland sweet potatoes and maize, says that in the same sub-county of Buwunga, big chunks of natural forests have been cleared and replaced with pineapples and coffee plantations that have not been tampered with for years.

Some of the depleted forest reserves according to her include Mujuzi, Kachura, and Jubiya which are located in the neighbouring Bukakata sub-county, which were destroyed by businessmen for coffee growing, timber, and charcoal burning.

Nakisekka questions why the enforcement officers are taking priority to evict subsistence farmers over the bigger cultivators whose extent of damage and effects to the environment is far stretching.

Francis Winyi, the LCV councilor Buwunga sub-county also blames the enforcement officers for not allowing the farmers to harvest their crops which has led to losses. He threatens that he may also be prompted to mobilize the community to destroy other plantations in the area should the environment officers fail to take action on them.

Rose Nakyejjwe, the Masaka District Senior Environment Officer dismisses allegations of selective implementation of the law, indicating that some of the spared farmers secured permits from the National Forestry Authority-NFA and the National Environment Management Authority-NEMA.

Nakyejjwe says the affected farmers were given notice to voluntarily vacate the wetlands; some ignored the advice, which required the use of force to evict them. She insists that their operations will continue until all the destroyed wetlands in the area are fully restored.

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URN