Tears, uncertainty, and makeshift tents now define life for hundreds of families in Busabala, Wakiso District, following a massive enforcement operation by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema).
The two-day wetland restoration exercise, which commenced on Tuesday, June 2, and concluded on Thursday, June 4, 2026, cleared over 100 homes spanning approximately 10.3 hectares of the protected Kaliddubi Wetland in Buggu Village, Busabala Parish, Makindye Ssabagabo.
The operation has sparked intense outrage among the affected residents. Many accuse the environmental watchdog of “selective enforcement,” claiming ordinary citizens were targeted while prominent, wealthy developers along the shores of Lake Victoria were left untouched.
During the Thursday demolition, this reporter witnessed an ongoing construction project near Kaazi Resort Beach, situated immediately adjacent to the evicted wetland zone. The prominent structure was spared from the excavators, a sight that fueled resentment among residents who watched their own life savings turned to rubble.
The displaced families acknowledged that their properties sat within what is now classified as a wetland.
However, they argued that when they purchased their plots years ago, the land was dry, stable, and habitable.
Residents allege that massive earth-filling and reclamation activities by wealthy investors along the Lake Victoria shoreline systematically altered the natural water flow. This, they claim, forced water back into the settlement, artificially creating a wetland environment over time.
Mr. Augustine Ndayambaze, a long-time resident, recounted purchasing his plot in 2011 and building a three-bedroom house on dry land. He stated he received an eviction notice only in 2023. Speaking in a frail, emotional voice, Mr Ndayambaze pointed the finger at nearby investors.
“We are not being evicted because of Nema’s genuine environmental restoration, but rather because of the actions of a wealthy investor,” Mr. Ndayambaze lamented. “I have spent over 15 years here. We never had a wetland until they started pouring soil into the lake, forcing the water into our community. Nema is being selective, targeting poor, struggling nationals while protecting the real encroachers.”
The sudden demolitions have left countless families stranded. Some breadwinners returned from work on Thursday evening only to find their houses reduced to debris.
Mr. Abdul Nasir Kasaagwa, a local boda-boda rider and father of three, broke down in tears as he watched his home crumble. He explained that he used his boda-boda earnings to buy a 20x50ft plot for Shs 6 million, subsequently investing Shs 30 million to construct the house.
“My children left for school this morning, and they are returning to find their home demolished. Where are we going to sleep?” Mr. Kasaagwa asked. He urged the government to provide compensation to prevent victims from falling into despair, crime, or suicide. “We see government offices squandering billions of taxpayers’ money annually. Can’t the government save some of that money to resettle evicted citizens?”
For Ms. Viola Katwesige, a mother of six who built a permanent home in 2018, rent is an unaffordable luxury. She and her family have resorted to sleeping in a makeshift plastic tent on the debris.
“Landlords won’t accept us because I have six children, and we don’t have the money to rent anyway because houses are so expensive right now,” Ms. Katwesige said.
The eviction deals a double blow to residents like Ms. Caroline Namukosi, who recently lost her livelihood during KCCA’s enforcement operations against street vendors in Kampala.
“They just banned us from selling our goods on the streets, and now they have demolished my house. Where am I supposed to go with five school-going children?” she wept.
In response to the mounting public backlash, Nema Public Relations Officer, Mr. William Lubuulwa, vehemently rejected the allegations of selective enforcement, maintaining that the authority’s mandate is applied uniformly to restore degraded ecosystems.
Addressing the controversial structure near Kaazi Resort Beach, Mr Lubuulwa stated that the building did not fall within Nema’s eviction criteria because of its unique topography.
“Nema does evict the ‘big fish,’ but the building in question is located on a rocky hill, not in the swamp,” Mr. Lubuulwa explained. “Physically, it looks close to the shore, but when you cross the road, that is where the actual swamp begins, and that is where we have evicted people.”
Mr Lubuulwa emphasized that the recovery of the 10.3 hectares in Busabala is part of a wider, uncompromising national campaign to protect critical ecological systems from human encroachment.
The Busabala operation follows a series of aggressive environmental enforcement actions across the country. Just last week, Nema resumed its high-stakes restoration exercise in the Lubigi wetland, evicting hundreds of encroachers in an effort to curb the severe flash flooding plaguing surrounding Kampala suburbs.
Furthermore, on Monday, June 1, Nema suspended all construction activities along the Lumpewo wetland in Kitikobirongo Village, Mutungo Parish, Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality. The developers were handed a strict 21-day ultimatum to voluntarily dismantle and remove all illegal structures or face forced demolition.
According to Nema, the ongoing environmental crackdown will soon be extended to other heavily degraded areas across the country, including targeted zones in Wakiso District, Mbale City, and along the banks of the fragile River Rwizi in Mbarara City.