Bwambara Residents Protest Eviction from Wetlands.

Rukungiri: A section of residents from Bwambara Sub county in Rukungiri District are accusing government officials of forcefully evicting them from wetlands, which they say were their primary source of livelihood. 

This follows an eviction carried out by Rukungiri District authorities on 17^th October, 2024, as part of the demarcation and restoration of the River Ntungwa wetland system at Kyabahanga Bridge in Bugarama Cell, Bwambara Sub county. The area serves as a key link between Rukungiri and Kanungu districts. 

Speaking to our news reporter on February 22, Steven Muhwezi, a resident of Kyabahanga Cell, said he has depended on the wetland for farming, growing crops such as rice, beans, and onions. He expressed fear that hunger may strike Bwambara Sub county since many residents relied on rice cultivation in the wetlands. 

Muhwezi further noted that he used to earn school fees from farming in the wetlands, but with the eviction, his children may be forced to drop out of school. 

Charles Kikababonekyera, another resident, said he has lived and farmed in the wetland all his life. However, since the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) restored the area, he is now struggling to find an alternative means of survival. 

The affected residents also dismissed the government’s plan to compensate them with cows and goats, arguing that these animals would not provide the same level of income. They urged authorities to allow them to cultivate further from the river while restoring the wetland areas closer to the river.

CUE IN…VOXPOP //RR

In response, Rukungiri Deputy Resident District Commissioner (DRDC) Wilberforce Ahimbisibwe Ongom stated that the district is committed to implementing President Museveni’s directive on wetland restoration. He warned wetland encroachers to vacate or risk arrest and prosecution. 

CUE IN…DEPUTY RDC //RR 

Caroline Ainembabazi, the focal person for the “Building Resilient Communities, Ecosystems, and Associated Departments” project, previously explained to Country Radio that the initiative aims to restore 450 hectares of wetlands and 400 hectares of degraded catchment areas in Rukungiri District.