An estimated 2,000 youths have this morning stormed Lubigi swamp, two years after the National Environment Management Association,-NEMA evicted encroachers from the swamp.
Armed with pangas, cutlasses and beaming faces, the youths comprising both men and women raided the swamp in their droves taking the residents by surprise.
Within just one hour, big chunks of swamplands were cleared as the youths used sisal straps to demarcate their portions. Some were seen hurrying to buy eucalyptus trees to set up their stalls.
The youths claimed that they are clearing the land to set up stalls and start income generating projects.
Lubigi swamp forms a belt in the northern and western parts of Kampala where most of the wastewater from Bwaise and Nateete drains. One of the swamp’s arms crosses Hoima road at Namungoona and drains into River Mayanja on Masaka road at Busega, a city suburb.
What remains unclear though, is who could have granted the youths permission to encroach on the swamp.
There are conflicting statements regarding the actions of the youths.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, some of them said that they were acting on the orders of President Museveni. They claimed that the president gave them the land so they can set up stalls and start businesses.
They said that they were tired of taking part in protests and were confident that with their projects, they would no longer be a vulnerable group.
Muhammad Kyazze, a vendor at Owino Market, says that they were given 500 million shilling by state house to purchase murrum, which will be used to raise the ground on which the youths can erect, their stalls.
Richard Lubwama, a member of the Uganda Patriotic Volunteers association, however says that they just decided to take over the land because it was vacant and yet there are many youths who are redundant.
He says that today’s action is intended to show government that the youths are ready to work if only they can be exposed to the basic factors of production like land.
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