Sulah Wasswa, a resident within the area, says the scene was chaotic as contractors tasked surveyors to avail requisite documents allowing them to open boundaries in vain.
They accuse Musa Bashir, the proprietor of Hared petroleum of trying to evict them from their homes on grounds that acquired the land hosting the campsite from Uganda Land Commission.
They argue that the uncontrolled levels of pollution have deterred several fish species from multiplying because their breeding areas are contaminated with unspecified amounts of acidic waste from factories. The fishermen pinned Nile Agro and Skyfirt Leather Industries for establishing an extension of 50 meters into Lake Victoria.
The said land, covers six plots, measuring about four acres along Kisinja road and Nile crescent. It was host to the Ministry of Works employees in the '90s. But the employees continued occupying the said land even after losing their jobs in early 2000'.
Agnes Atwooki, the NSWC Jinja area Principal Public Relations Officer told URN that Jinja, one of the country’s oldest towns, had heavy capacity underground sewerage lines. However, over time, road contractors have left the lines leaking without making any attempts to refurbish them after completing their road works.
Shafic Kisumuluzo, the Bwondha Zone C village chairperson, says despite registering one positive Covid19 case on the landing site last week, the both the community members and suspects have failed to adhere to the corona virus preventive guidelines of social distancing and wearing facial masks.
Eye witnesses told URN on condition of anonymity that the deceased had gone to withdraw about Shillings 50,000 from a mobile money agent when he was rounded up by four men demanding that he surrenders his phone, which he resisted.
Ali Wamala Ngudde, a resident, claims that some people own titles in the areas which the ministry is claiming to be wetlands. He says that the ministry needs to be careful while trading on their land.
Bussi Island, which is 10kilometers away from Entebbe town, remains secluded and visibly detached from the rest of Wakiso district because of poor physical infrastructure and lack of proper transport means.
Rev Esau Bbosa Kimangye, the Assistant Vicar of Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, says they were concerned when they learnt of the development, saying the project is a threat to the safety and security of the museum, where both the church and government have sank a lot of money.
Arnold Waiswa Ayazika, the NEMA director, Environmental Monitoring and Compliance says beyond the suppressing of the locusts, NEMA is interested in monitoring the potential impact of chemicals on water sources, food crops and or any other non-target organisms.
The Ministry of Agriculture has since passed out information warning the entire populace to stock enough food. However, the warning might have come in late as many people are likely to have already sold off a number of crops harvested in the recent farming season. Uganda last experienced a major locust invasion in 1961, with immense damage on crops which resulted in acute hunger.
The Director of the Social Communications Department of Kampala Archdiocese, Fr Joseph Mukasa Nkeera, has since confirmed the development revealing that the directives were issued during a high-level meeting with the clergy and senior executive committees of parishes at Rubaga Cathedral in Kampala this Saturday.
