NEMA demolishes controversial Lake Vic

________________ The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has demolished a controversial perimeter wall extending into Lake Victoria at Ddungu Resort Beach in Munyonyo, marking a major step in the government's ongoing campaign to restore wetlands and protect the country's water bodies. The demolition follows months of public criticism and a series of investigations by New Vision that highlighted alleged environmental degradation along the shores of Lake Victoria, where several developers were accused of encroaching on protected wetlands. Speaking at the site on Friday, NEMA senior public relations officer William Lubuulwa said the exercise forms part of the authority's nationwide environmental restoration campaign. "This is a continuous restoration exercise, but today we have come to Munyonyo in Makindye division to remove this perimeter wall, which has caused a lot of concern among the public," he said. He noted that the wall had sparked widespread debate on social media, with many Ugandans questioning why influential developers appeared to evade enforcement while ordinary citizens faced swift action. "People have been saying that NEMA only acts against small people. Today we are here at a very big establishment, Ddungu Resort Beach. I call this Operation Big Fish because enforcement is now reaching major developments that have violated environmental laws." The wall, built into the lake, had become a symbol of concerns over increasing encroachment on Lake Victoria's shoreline despite laws protecting wetlands and water catchment areas. Lubuulwa said the demolition is one of several ongoing enforcement actions targeting illegal developments in wetlands across Uganda.