It is now everyone’s responsibility to protect wetlands after the highest court of the land ruled that protecting the environment is commanded by the Constitution.
“This is a matter that is of interest to and impacts on the community as a whole. The individual’s interest must be viewed in the context
of that larger interest of society as a whole and in the context of the Constitution and the laws made there under,” the Supreme Court held.
In the 6-1 majority decision, that dismissed an appeal in which Kampala Central Division boss, Amooti Godfrey Nyakaana was challenging the legality of National Environment Management Authority- NEMA in demolishing his house over a decade ago, Chief Justice Bart Katureebe held that the right to a clean and healthy environment enshrined in the Constitution must be protected by the state.
“Individual developers putting up houses in such a critical wetland unregulated by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) may have grave consequences in future,” held Chief Justice Katureebe.
“We are dealing with a grave matter of protecting the environment as commanded by the Constitution,” Justice Katureebe ruled.
Activists say that members of the public including civil society organisations can use the court decision to protect the environment and advocate for legally approved friendly developments.