The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has arrested a police officer attached to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) enforcement operations after he was allegedly caught receiving a Shs2 million bribe from a person accused of encroaching on wetlands.
The arrest is part of a wider operation aimed at dismantling a suspected network of individuals accused of using their positions to facilitate wetland destruction, land grabbing and illegal developments along the Entebbe Road corridor.
The arrested officer has been identified as Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Naserenga Elly, who had been deployed to carry out NEMA enforcement duties in areas including Kajansi Town Council, Katabi Town Council and surrounding areas.
According to information available to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Naserenga was allegedly arrested after receiving Shs500,000 through mobile money and later arranging to receive an additional Shs1.5 million in cash.
The operation followed a complaint by a driver, John Lule, who reported the alleged extortion to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
The complaint was subsequently handled by the leadership of the Unit, headed by Brig Gen Henry Isoke, who intervened and coordinated the operation that led to the arrest of Naserenga at a police station.
The officer is alleged to have demanded Shs5 million from a person who had been arrested over transporting sand. The suspect had reportedly been taken to Nateete Police Station and was allegedly threatened with being taken to Luzira Prison unless he paid the demanded money.
The complainant is said to have paid Shs500,000 through mobile money, with the remaining Shs1.5 million allegedly arranged for payment in cash. The State House Anti-Corruption Unit then moved in, leading to the arrest of the officer as he allegedly received the balance.
Other individuals suspected to be connected to the alleged activities are also being pursued. Among those reportedly being hunted are Rashid Kigwe and Nicholas Mugabe, who is alleged to have been deployed as a NEMA enforcement officer in Kajansi, Katabi and other areas.
Another suspect identified as Bonny is also being sought. He is alleged to have been posing as a police officer despite not being a serving police officer.
The operation has also brought renewed attention to the growing environmental crisis along the Entebbe Road corridor, particularly in areas around Kajansi and Katabi. Motorists using the Entebbe Road have often witnessed water crossing the road and flooding surrounding areas. Authorities have increasingly linked the worsening flooding to the destruction and filling of wetlands, where soil is dumped to create artificial land for construction and other developments.
The allegations under investigation suggest that some individuals entrusted with enforcing environmental laws may have abandoned their responsibility to protect wetlands and instead allegedly facilitated encroachment in exchange for bribes.
In some cases, individuals are alleged to have allowed people to dump soil into wetland areas and occupy or subdivide the reclaimed land. The suspected scheme allegedly went beyond the collection of bribes, with some individuals accused of allowing prime wetland land to be taken over and later divided into plots that could be sold for large sums of money.
This has raised concerns that some officials were allegedly no longer protecting the environment but instead protecting land grabbers and wetland encroachers.
The allegations further indicate that efforts by other enforcement officers to intervene were sometimes frustrated, with some individuals allegedly attempting to maintain control over areas where illegal activities were taking place.
The arrest demonstrates the continued commitment of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, under the leadership of Brig Gen Henry Isoke, to investigate and take action against public officials and other individuals accused of abusing their positions for personal gain.
The Unit’s intervention followed a complaint from a member of the public, underscoring the importance of citizens reporting corruption and extortion.
The operation also highlights the importance of cooperation between members of the public and anti-corruption agencies in exposing officials who allegedly use government positions to solicit bribes.
NEMA Executive Director Dr Akankwasa Barirega has also been commended for supporting efforts to clean up the institution and ensure that officers entrusted with protecting Uganda’s environment carry out their duties professionally and without compromise.
The latest arrests send a strong message that environmental enforcement officers are expected to protect wetlands and other natural resources—not facilitate their destruction.
As investigations continue, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit is pursuing other suspects believed to be connected to the alleged network, while efforts are also being made to strengthen enforcement against wetland encroachment and land grabbing.
The joint efforts by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and NEMA demonstrate the importance of combining anti-corruption enforcement with environmental protection.
By targeting officials who allegedly use their positions to facilitate wetland destruction, the authorities are not only fighting corruption but also protecting Uganda’s wetlands, preventing flooding and safeguarding land and natural resources for future generations.
