By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
President Yoweri Museveni has warned politicians against frustrating government efforts to enforce trade order and protect wetlands, saying such actions undermine national development and environmental conservation.
Speaking during the reading of the 2026/27 national budget at Kololo Independence Grounds on Thursday, Museveni likened government systems to the human body, where each part has a specific function that must be respected.
“The road is for vehicles, the sidewalks are for pedestrians and markets are for trade. You cannot decide to sell goods on the roadside and expect order,” Museveni said.
The President criticized leaders who support street vending and illegal activities in protected areas, describing such actions as harmful to the country’s progress.
“It is sickening to find politicians defending people who are doing the wrong things. A swamp is for water, not for cultivation or settlement,” he said.
His comments come amid a nationwide crackdown on roadside trading and illegal business structures, which has seen traders evicted from streets and makeshift stalls demolished in several towns and cities. The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has also intensified the eviction of wetland encroachers in Kampala, with plans to extend the exercise to other parts of the country.
The President said wetlands and forests have sustained communities for millions of years and should not be destroyed for short-term economic gains.
He blamed the degradation of wetlands partly on misguided agricultural practices, including rice growing in protected swamp areas.
He President also condemned the destruction of forests, citing encroachment in Bugoma Forest, which he described as criminal and detrimental to Uganda’s future.
“These are enemies of Uganda. Look at the damage being done to our forests. Whose interests are they serving?” Museveni asked.
He further linked environmental destruction to the emergence of diseases, arguing that human encroachment on wildlife habitats could be contributing to outbreaks such as Ebola.
Museveni called on political leaders across the country to support government programmes aimed at wealth creation and economic transformation.
“Let all political leaders take the lead in getting our 33 percent of the people who are outside the money economy to join the money economy,” he said.
Today, the Finance Minister Henry Musasizi presented the Shs84.39 trillion budget for the 2026/27 financial year.
In the budget, government pledged to strengthen enforcement of trade and traffic regulations to improve urban order and public safety. The reforms are part of wider measures aimed at improving accountability, efficiency and service delivery.
Musasizi said government would also implement reforms to eliminate waste, corruption and inefficiency, while ensuring public resources are directed towards priority development programmes.
