At least three people have been arrested during Wednesday’s Lubigi Wetland sweep by the National Environment Management Authority.
NEMA spokesperson William Lubuulwa confirmed the incident, saying the suspects – two women and one man – are detained at Lubigi Police Station where they will be picked and taken to court.
‘We thought our people had understood why they had been asked to leave. Our visit was to reask them to vacate this place,’ he said.
Some of the returnees found in the wetland were ordered to demolish the makeshift tents they had erected after NEMA razed their houses in recent operations.
Mr Lubuulwa said at least 15 families who had returned were all asked to remove their belongings.
Mr Vincent Iruumba, a traditional healer whose house was removed, said he has been staying in an abandoned container with his seven children as he looks for where to go.
‘My village is in Kibaale District in Bunyoro Sub region but I don’t have transport,’ he said.
He said he had used the Shs1 million relief money donated by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja during her recent visit to pay school fees for the children.
‘We are relying on well wishers to get what to eat. I’m removing my property but still I will stay on streets as I wait for my children to come back from school,’ Mr Iruumba added.
Mr Ivan Balubinzi, a National Unity Platform supporter, said one of his structures was mapped out in the earlier demolition plan and was left standing in the last operation, but he was surprised when officials asked him to remove it.
‘My house was demolished and I remained with this temporary structure where I was operating a bar,’ he said.
The same bar worked as a self-created office for NUP supporters in the area, and he appealed to the party’s top executive to come to his rescue.