Uganda: Environmental Crime on the Rise as Nema Forms Police Unit

Source from:  The Monitor (Kampala) 17 October 2008 10/20/2008

The National Environment Management Authority wants to create an Environmental Police unit to clamp down on the escalating environmental crime. "We are looking at forming an environmental police within Nema. A cabinet paper to that effect is in the offing," Nema legal Counsel Jessica Naiga said during the launch of a report on environmental crime in Kampala yesterday. "The unit will address environmental crimes, investigations and prosecution." Ms Naiga expects the unit to be operational next financial year. According to the report entitled, 'The Nature and Extent of Environmental Crime in Uganda', illegal waste disposal, pollution, discharge of effluents into lakes, illegal fishing, illegal hunting, dumping and encroachment on protected areas lead to environmental degradation. The study commissioned by the Institute of Security Studies based in South Africa, under the Environmental Crime Project was carried out in September. The report says various behaviours by people and organisations that are threatening the environment are increasing in Uganda, leading to more degradation. "Due to desires to increase productivity, rural populations have encroached on nature reserves, reclaimed wetlands, invaded wildlife protected areas and practiced criminal acts for harvesting such as illegal logging, illegal fishing including poisoning," the report says. Presenting the research findings, Mr Shuaib Lwasa, the researcher, said while Uganda has put in place organisations like Nema and the National Forestry Authority among others, environmental crimes are increasing. Ms Naiga said people are aware of environmental crimes although they are not compliant. "We (Nema) have done good work as far as awareness is concerned but people have a poor compliance culture," she said. She said Nema has prepared charge sheets covering all environmental crimes to ease the work of courts. The study documents vices such as illegal dumping of motor vehicle scrap and release of pollutants into lakes by commercial flower establishments and tobacco firms among others. "For example, it is estimated that Lake Victoria receives 23,550 tons of biological oxygen demand (BOD) substances per year, 1555,580 tons of nitrogen (in form of fertilisers) per year and 32,050 tons of phosphorous per year," the report says. The high BOD specifies the strength of sewerage disposed off in the lake which is a nutrient of algae, which if can choke the lake. Enditem