Government Seeks Shs320bn to Demarcate Wetlands

What the report says

The Ministry of Water and Environment has told Parliament that four people have produced land titles claiming a large portion of Mabira Forest and have signaled plans to use the area for commercial agriculture. The disclosure came during a Wednesday appearance before the parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources, chaired by Kazo County MP Dan Kimosho, as lawmakers questioned officials about the status of the forest reserve and wider enforcement on protected land.

According to the ministry, the disputed area is part of Mabira, one of Uganda’s largest remaining natural forests, and encroachment remains a concern. Officials said about 13 villages have already settled in sections of the roughly 29,000-hectare reserve. Parliament said it wants the ministry, the National Forestry Authority and the National Environment Management Authority to explain how boundary disputes and occupation of protected land are being handled.

The same session also highlighted government’s effort to strengthen wetlands protection. The ministry said it needs Shs320 billion to demarcate the remaining 144,315 kilometres of wetlands that have not yet been clearly marked. Officials argued that clear boundaries are needed to reduce disputes between wetlands and private land and to curb further encroachment.

State Minister for Environment Beatrice Anywar said the ministry is in the final stages of drafting a Wetlands Bill intended to give stronger legal backing to enforcement. MPs also raised concerns about uneven enforcement in Lubigi wetland evictions and about whether some Forestry Authority demarcation work may be affecting private land, underscoring the broader challenge of protecting environmentally sensitive areas while resolving ownership claims.