By Doreen Asasira,
OPINION
As Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate World Environment Day, the country must confront an uncomfortable but necessary truth: our wetlands are disappearing, and the fight to save them will fail if environmental laws continue to be enforced selectively.
Across the country, government agencies have intensified efforts to restore degraded wetlands. Excavators have moved in, illegal structures have been demolished, and encroachers have been ordered to vacate protected ecosystems. These efforts are commendable and long overdue. Wetlands are critical to Uganda’s survival. They regulate floods, recharge groundwater, filter pollutants, support biodiversity, and help communities adapt to climate change.
However, a troubling question continues to linger in the minds of many Ugandans: Why does enforcement often appear tougher on the poor than on the powerful?
When a poor market vendor, small-scale farmer, or resident is removed from a wetland, while larger and more influential entities appear to remain untouched, the public inevitably begins to question whether environmental protection is truly about conserving nature or merely targeting those with the least power to resist. Such perceptions undermine public confidence in conservation efforts and weaken support for wetland restoration initiatives.
Across the country, authorities often move swiftly against small-scale farmers cultivating wetland areas or families constructing modest homes in protected ecosystems. Yet many Ugandans continue to raise concerns about large factories, commercial buildings, fuel stations, luxury estates, and other major developments that have been established in wetlands and, in some cases, have operated openly for years without facing comparable enforcement action.
The truth is simple: a wetland does not distinguish between encroachment by a household and pollution from a factory. Environmental damage remains environmental damage, regardless of who causes it. Indeed, large-scale developments often inflict far greater and more permanent ecological harm by altering natural water flows, increasing pollution, destroying vegetation, and transforming ecosystems that have taken centuries to evolve. If Uganda is serious about restoring its wetlands, then every illegal structure, unlawful development, and encroaching activity must be subjected to the same legal standards. The law should not distinguish between a poor farmer/vendor and a wealthy investor; environmental accountability must apply equally to all if conservation efforts are to be credible, effective, and just.
Environmental justice demands fairness. Wetland restoration efforts must target all encroachers, regardless of their social status, political connections, financial influence, or corporate power. The destruction of wetlands cannot be justified simply because a project promises jobs, tax revenue, or economic growth. Development that destroys the ecosystems upon which life depends is neither sustainable nor responsible.
Uganda has repeatedly paid the price for environmental neglect. Flooding in urban centers, declining water quality, prolonged droughts, and reduced agricultural productivity are increasingly linked to ecosystem degradation. Wetlands that once absorbed excess water are being replaced with concrete structures. Natural drainage systems are being blocked. Communities downstream bear the consequences while a few individuals profit.
This is why World Environment Day should be more than a symbolic occasion marked by speeches, tree planting ceremonies, and public pledges. It should be a moment for bold action and honest reflection. Are we truly committed to protecting Uganda’s wetlands, or are we only willing to enforce the law against those without influence?
The answer will be reflected not in policy statements but in enforcement decisions. If authorities are serious about wetland restoration, they must undertake comprehensive audits of all developments located in protected wetland areas. Illegal structures should be removed regardless of ownership. Environmental impact assessments must be subjected to rigorous scrutiny, and institutions responsible for approving unlawful developments should be held accountable. There should be no sacred cows when it comes to environmental protection.
The future of Uganda depends on healthy ecosystems. Wetlands are not empty spaces waiting to be occupied. They are living systems that provide services worth billions of shillings annually services that no government budget can fully replace once lost.
As climate change intensifies and extreme weather events become more frequent, protecting wetlands is no longer an environmental issue alone. It is an economic issue, a public health issue, a food security issue, and ultimately a matter of national survival.
This World Environment Day, Uganda must send a clear message: wetlands belong to the nation, not to the highest bidder. Environmental laws must apply equally to everyone. Restoration efforts must be guided by science, justice, and the public interest not by wealth, influence, or political considerations.
Wetlands do not recognise status. Neither should the law.
