District leaders in Mukono are under scrutiny for allegedly enabling illegal sand mining in Lake Victoria.
The controversial activity is taking place in Nsonga village, Nakisunga Sub-county, despite environmental regulations prohibiting unregulated extraction.
Sand mining, which involves removing sand from lakes, riverbeds, beaches, and inland dunes, is primarily driven by demand for construction materials, industrial applications, and agriculture.
However, the practice poses severe environmental threats, including habitat destruction and water pollution.
The Nsonga mining site was previously owned by a Chinese investor but was shut down by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
It is now managed by Brian Najwenge, who has admitted to working closely with district leaders.
He revealed that the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Hassan Kasibante, recently inspected the site.
When questioned about his operational permit, Najwenge declined to comment, stating it was not a matter for the media.
Reports indicate that during the Deputy RDC’s visit, Najwenge also refused to present his permit, prompting the RDC to demand that he submit it to his office.
The visit was conducted alongside District Natural Resources Officer William Mujjuni, who could not confirm whether Najwenge held a valid permit but acknowledged awareness of his operations.
Mujjuni has also refused to clarify the district’s approach to regulating sand mining or address allegations of permitting illegal activities.
In Mukono, a single Sino truckload of lake-mined sand from Nsonga sells for 900,000 Ugandan shillings.
The site employs dredging machines, which contribute to unsustainable mining practices with devastating environmental consequences.
Dredging removes sediment crucial for shoreline replenishment, accelerates erosion, weakens natural barriers against storms and floods, disrupts ecosystems, and degrades habitats for wildlife.
It also compromises water quality, posing risks to agriculture and human consumption.
The National Environment Act of 2019 explicitly prohibits unregulated sand mining in lakes and rivers due to its ecological significance.
Under the law, violators face penalties of up to thirty thousand currency points in fines, imprisonment for up to twelve years, or both.
As concerns over environmental degradation and official complicity grow, calls for strict enforcement of environmental laws and greater accountability among Mukono’s leadership continue to mount.
END
English 