Homeless and hopeless: Families ravaged by NEMA’s harsh evictions 

As the scorching sun rose over the Lubigi wetland, families in the Nansana West II zone grappled with the loss of their homes.

In a controversial move aimed at restoring the Lubigi wetland, the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) evicted hundreds of families who have resided in the area for years. The harsh reality of the eviction has sunk in, leaving many in the cold and causing children to miss school as families prioritize survival over education.

This is the fourth week since Nema embarked on evictions in Ganda-Nasere, Nansana West II, and Masanafu in Wakiso district. More houses on the verge of eviction are located in Nabweru South I & II, Kawaala, and parts of Bwaise and Namungoona.

“I had never imagined being homeless and thrown out of my land in such a cruel manner. I saved a handful of my property while the rest was destroyed by the bulldozers,” said Baker Nambuya, a 30-year-old single mother of eight. Her eyes started tearing up as her four-year-old daughter returned from a nearby private school in tattered oversized sports shoes and stockings.

“We picked up those [oversized shoes] after hers got lost during the eviction process. She goes to school on an empty stomach and dirty uniforms because I have no basins to wash for her daily,” Nambuya explained, as her two-year-old baby with a cannula cried endlessly.

With the biting cold and mosquitoes, the child has been suffering from recurrent malaria. It took a good Samaritan to get the baby proper treatment, although Nambuya was cautioned to ensure her child slept under a net and avoided the cold.

“My neighbour has allowed me to lay my children in a room [about 4ftx2ft] meant for his dogs at night. I will keep around the bonfire at night with other evictees till morning because the corridor is too small to accommodate us,” she said.

The Lubigi restoration exercise is being undertaken jointly by several government agencies, including the police, Nema, KCCA, UPDF, Wakiso district local government, the Office of the President, the ministry of Works, and Unra.

SELECTIVE EVICTIONS

Fifty-year-old Teddy Nabasenya, a single mother of five, lost a three-roomed house and twelve rentals that fetched her at least Shs 1.2 million monthly. The structures were products of her seven-year stay in Saudi Arabia, where she worked as a housemaid following the death of her husband.

“I had set goals; build a house and rentals that would sustain me and my children, including their school fees. I was also dealing in matooke which I sold on my verandah,” Nabasenya said.

“Nema demolished everything without any notice to me or our area chairman. I knelt before one of the officials guiding the evictions to allow me to collect my property, but he just shouted, ‘Tonkuba bisiraani byo.’” Nabasenya said officials barred people from taking photos or videos, and those who insisted were beaten up.

Margaret Kyobula, a mother of three, questioned the criteria followed while demolishing their houses. When she approached one of the Nema officials for answers, she was allegedly informed that: “Treat this eviction like a map. It never moves straight, and if your house was demolished and your neighbour’s [also a residential] stayed, just deal with it.” She was also informed that any person found erecting another structure would be imprisoned for six years.

STRUGGLING TO ADAPT

Atwiine Zobiyo, whose house was maintained while her rentals were demolished, was equally disturbed by the selection criteria.

“I have lived here for almost 25 years. When do ordinary people win battles with authorities? I used my land agreement to get piped water and electricity for my rentals. So, according to Nema, this is a wetland. Is that fair?”

Amidst the chaos, many families have found themselves homeless and destitute. A well-wisher donated five tents, each accommodating only two adults. Makeshift tents hastily erected with tarpaulins have since worn out, leaving the displaced without adequate shelter. Nabasenya described the area as now devoid of basic amenities like sanitation, as toilets were damaged and left open.

“They are not only a danger to the many children wandering around but also attract houseflies,” she said.

Adults intending to shower do so only once at night when darkness sets in to maintain some semblance of privacy.

“We have no beddings and mosquitoes are many. We had secured some mattresses, but they were eventually stolen by several young boys who were guarded by security and cutting people’s crops,” Nabasenya added.

Parents who ran businesses from home are also struggling to find work elsewhere, as they must watch over their children who are now out of school and homeless. During the daytime, the place looks abandoned, but starting at 7 pm., it transforms as the evictees form several camps in the area. They light piles of rubber bands and wood to keep themselves warm and awake throughout the night, a desperate attempt to adapt to their harsh new reality.

NEMA, BLB SPEAK

Nema claims it issued restoration orders upon establishing encroachment and degradation of the Lubigi wetland. The environmental body had remained silent since the evictions began last month until the leader of opposition in parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, and other MPs attempted to visit the evictees recently.

“Lubigi wetland serves as a critical water catchment area for the central region. Nema issued restoration orders from as far back as 2021 to all encroachers, failure of which, it would enforce the orders at the degrader’s cost and prosecution where necessary. The orders gave 21 days to either challenge the order or implement it,” reads the June 17, 2024 statement.

Nema insisted that the cabinet, under minute 114 (CT 2014), approved the cancellation of land titles issued in wetlands on public land acquired unlawfully after 1995 as one of the measures to address the degradation of wetlands.

While the evictees expressed concern about continually paying nominal ground rent (busuulu) of Shs 40,000 annually, Buganda Land Board (BLB) spokesperson Denis Bugaya explained this as a legal obligation for every kibanja owner.

In an interview, Bugaya said, “The Kabaka is the registered proprietor of the Lubigi wetland, but his ownership is also restricted on how
to utilize the land. If the mailo owner has no absolute rights to use it, then other people with lesser interest [bibanja owners] cannot have the same.”

One can own a kibanja or leasehold in a wetland, but under section 43 of the Land Act, the land must be used according to regulations as per the forest, mining, and Nema Acts. He insisted that the Buganda Kingdom and Nema have not taken away the ownership of people’s rightfully acquired land in Lubigi.

“People have politicized the evictions and emotions are still running high. Some people are just stubborn and buy land in wetlands because the prices there tend to be cheaper. Ugandans need to ask themselves: is it factually true that these people have been in wetlands? Did they get sufficient notice, according to the law? Has the eviction been humane? Even when you are implementing the law, you must put a human face to it,” Bugaya said.

MUSEVENI BACKS EVICTIONS

Last week, President Museveni gave Nema a nod of approval for their actions.

“Even if NEMA is lazy and they don’t do their work or did it badly, should we die? As an individual [criticizing Nema], if you are a madman, they should take you to Butabika. How did you come to stay in a wetland? Why should it be Nema to stop you as if you are an idiot?” Museveni asked.

He, however, cautioned security officers not to be overly harsh during the evictions. He urged NEMA to hold parish chiefs and Gombolola Internal Security Officers (GISOs) accountable for allowing people to encroach on the wetlands. Enock Mulinda, a grandson of Captain (rtd) George Willian Ssempebwa, whose house was demolished, is seeking justice for the affected people.

“The houses of my paternal and maternal grandparents were all demolished, yet they settled in Lubigi in 1957,” Mulinda said.

His grandmother, in her 80s, who lived in the area for at least 40 years, now stays in a tent, while Ssempebwa retreated to Kiboga, where he had a second home, for medical attention due to his advanced age. Mulinda shared copies of letters written to the Buganda Land Board (BLB), NEMA, and the Office of the President seeking an audience to address the matter, but these efforts were in vain.

In one of the letters, with a BLB stamp dated May 16, 2024, he noted: “The land on Block 203 is occupied by more than 300 people who are at risk of being evicted by NEMA on grounds that it is a wetland. The bibanja owners confirm that this was dry land. However, during the construction of the northern bypass, there was a redirection of water from the Lubigi water stream to their land. This has caused flooding in the area, making it look like a wetland. We request your office to avail us with a report confirming the original state of this land.”

BLB did not respond to his queries until NEMA demolished all the houses three weeks ago. In 2022, Mulinda said NEMA staff slashed the garden of his grandparents, but efforts to write to the authority seeking justice were futile.

UNCERTAIN FUTURE

With the current change in weather, the urgency to find solutions keeps growing. The area’s local leaders kept visiting the demolished sites amidst ridicule from a section of angry people for ignoring them during evictions.

Last week, a real estate dealer, Hassan Bulwadda, donated five acres of land to the affected people in Kikandwa along Hoima Road. He pledged to come up with one joint title for all, but beneficiaries will also get land agreements at no cost.

One of the evicted people who visited the land told The Observer that it’s unlikely that most people will take up the offer given the topography of the area.

“The place has no water, electricity, schools, health centers and neighbours. If you want to move to the nearest towns of Matte or Kikandwa, you need a boda boda of about Shs 5,000. You can’t stay in the area in our current state unless you have sufficient funds to sustain you.”

Another evictee added, “For those who want to start a life there, you need to buy solar. I doubt whether people will settle in the land because you can hardly plant food or vegetables to feed children in the shortest period. The place is a bit hilly with stones and the elderly can’t walk there.”

By press time, Mulinda was still collecting signatures of evictees. Their hope lies with parliament where they intend to present a petition with copies of legally acquired land documents.

nangonzi@observer.ug