We are not ready to leave Wetland without a proper Alternative processes in place. Hon. Moses Kamuntu states.
RUBANDA: The Rubanda County West Legislator Hon. Moses Kamuntu has declared war over the planned eviction of people from wetlands in areas of Rubanda district.
The legislators’ plea follows the government directive issued in October last year, directing people to start vacating and restoring wetlands in a move to conserve the degraded environment.
Speaking to Our reporter Hon. Moses Kamuntu said that the government must come up with an alternative plan that is favorable to the people whose hopes and survival is in the wetland.
He noted that the government had earlier evicted the Batwa Community from Bwindi and Echuya Forests and left them to die without alternative land for resettlement, from which he promised not to allow this happen to their people again.
“We cannot allow history to repeat itself. We saw how the Batwa Community were evicted from Bwindi and Echuya Forests and were left to die without an alternative plan for resettlement. These people only survive on these wetlands so if the government is planning to evict them there must be an alternative plan” said Moses Kamuntu.
Hon. Moses Kamuntu further issued a fervent plea to the enforcement teams including the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) to cease the planned eviction process underscoring the critical importance of these ecosystems to the survival of communities in the Kigezi Sub-Region.
About 1,000 farmers who were using wetlands in the Kigezi Sub-region for farming had earlier e demanded about Shs370b from the government as compensation before they vacate.
The aggrieved farmers led by the former Kabale deputy RDC, Mr Denis Nzeirwe, signed a petition to the Speaker of Parliament stating that evicting them from the wetlands would result in food insecurity and economic crisis in the region.
During the colonial and subsequent governments, people were allowed to use 60 percent of the wetlands in the area for farming activities because there was land shortage in the area as it was witnessed by people migrating to Ankole, Tooro and Bunyoro regions.
