SOROTI, September 11, 2026 — Failure to demarcate the boundaries of forests and wetlands in Soroti City has escalated encroachment and degradation of natural resources, authorities have said.
Wetlands in the city are facing a high degree of degradation due to population growth, with local residents turning them into agricultural land and, in some cases, constructing houses in the wetlands.
James Kyomya, the deputy Resident City Commissioner [RCC] for Soroti City West Division, said some communities with private land near central forest reserves have encroached on the reserves because their boundaries are not clearly known.
“Following our intelligence reports and findings, it is evident that a number of people living within the wetlands in Soroti City West and other parts of the city have massively encroached on the wetlands,” Kyomya said.
Kyomya said that, as the head of security, they could not simply sit back and watch as the wetlands were degraded.
“We have agreed to kick off campaigns against wetland encroachment. We shall visit all the wetlands,” he said.
“Whoever we find in the wetlands will be taken to the police to record a statement,” he added.
He said the lack of clear demarcation had created confusion among landowners, leading to unintentional encroachment. He called for urgent surveying and marking of forest boundaries to protect the reserves.
Meanwhile, Paul Batanda, the City Clerk, acknowledged that wetland encroachment is a major problem in the city.
Batanda said the city’s top management had discussed the issue and tasked the environmental officer with guiding communities to ensure that activities carried out in wetlands comply with environmental regulations, including fishing.
He also pledged to engage communities further on the importance of preserving wetlands, adding that environmental police would help evict people occupying the wetlands illegally.
However, Batanda said people had previously been allowed to encroach on wetlands, making it difficult to address the problem now that many structures had already been built there.
“Many people have built on the wetlands, and removing these structures has become a big challenge,” he said.
Francis Ediau, the Soroti City Environment Officer, expressed disappointment that local residents were spraying pesticides and insecticides in wetlands.
“It is very disappointing to find that locals are spraying pesticides and insecticides right inside the wetlands. This not only kills aquatic life but also contaminates the water that communities depend on,” Ediau said.
According to Ediau, the National Environment Management Authority [NEMA] had already issued a notice to communities encroaching on wetlands to vacate them. He said anyone found occupying the wetlands should therefore not blame officials for taking action.
He said wetlands should be preserved as habitats for aquatic and other wildlife, including frogs, crocodiles and fish, rather than being destroyed by human activities.
“Wetlands are natural habitats for creatures like frogs, crocodiles and fish. They should be left for them to thrive, not taken over by humans who end up destroying them,” he said.
NEMA protects Uganda’s wetlands under the National Environment Act and specific wetland regulations aimed at preventing illegal construction and environmental degradation.
Under Sections 55 and 133 of the National Environment Act, 2019, wetland encroachment is prohibited and may attract criminal penalties under Ugandan law.
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