The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has dismissed allegations that Victoria Sugar Factory in Luweero District is polluting the environment, following a wave of media reports and local complaints.
NEMA spokesperson Ms. Naomi Namara on Thursday clarified that while environmental pollution had indeed been reported in the area, investigations established that Victoria Sugar was not the source.
“The pollution has been reported in that area where Victoria Sugar is located, but it’s not coming from it. The pollution is from other nearby companies,” Ms. Namara said.
She revealed that a team of NEMA inspectors has been dispatched to conduct on-the-ground verification and identify the true source of the alleged environmental abuse, with the aim of taking corrective action against the culprits.
The head of operations at Victoria Sugar, Mr. Nasif Ismail, described the accusations as deliberate attempts by competitors to tarnish the factory’s reputation.
“I want to make it categorically clear that these are allegations by self-centered people, mostly our competitors, aimed at damaging the image of our factory,” he said.
Mr. Ismail emphasized that Victoria Sugar complies fully with NEMA regulations and has installed pollution-monitoring equipment directly connected to the regulator’s offices.
“We put the pollution monitoring equipment that is controlled by NEMA; therefore, everything is observed from their office,” he added.
He also questioned why residents of Yandwe 1 village were cited in media reports as complainants instead of Ndibulungi village, which directly hosts the factory.
Luweero District Natural Resources Officer, Ms. Teopista Gateese, said her office had not observed any dark smoke or environmental abuse at the factory.
“As NEMA agents at the grassroots, we have not come across this dark smoke being cited. It is disappointing when leaders spread wrong information without verifying with my office as the technical person,” Ms. Gateese said.
She pledged to work with NEMA during further investigations and reminded the public that similar allegations against Victoria Sugar had previously been dismissed by the regulator.
Ms. Gateese further advised complainants to consult her office before running to the media with unverified claims.
Some residents of Ndibulungi village, where the factory is located, also dismissed the allegations.
Mr. Godfrey Mukasa, a resident, said: “I can tell you that whatever is being alleged about pollution coming from this factory is false. I live in its vicinity, but I have never experienced any problem with it.”
Despite these reassurances, earlier media reports quoted locals claiming they were suffering from contaminated water, persistent cough, and dark spots on clothes allegedly caused by emissions from the factory.
The dispute highlights growing scrutiny of Uganda’s sugar industry, where competition among factories has intensified, occasionally spilling into public disputes over environmental compliance.
NEMA’s ongoing investigations are expected to provide a conclusive verdict on the actual source of pollution in the area.
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