WORLD: UGANDA CONSTITUTION 1995- UNDER MUSEVENI AND NRM REGIME. INFORMATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON SELLING AND LEASING OF LAKES AND OTHER WATER BODIES IN UGANDA 1. Introduction As a result of various articles that have appeared in the media recently referring to selling and leasing of lakes and water bodies in Uganda by government to private companies, the Ministry of Water and Environment would like to provide information to the public on how water bodies should be utilised and managed in Uganda based on the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and the Water Act, Cap 152. 2. Provisions of the Constitutional of the Republic of Uganda (1995) Objective XIII of the Constitution of Republic of Uganda (1995) requires the state to protect important natural resources, including land, water, wetlands, fauna and flora on behalf of the people of Uganda. Article 189 of the Constitution provides that the central government has responsibility for matters specified in the sixth schedule. Item seven of the sixth schedule specifies that resources such as land, water resources and the environment are the responsibility of the central government. However article 189 (2) provides that district councils and councils of lower LGs may at their own request be allowed to exercise functions reserved 2 to the central government or such functions may be delegated to them by the government or by parliament by law; Article 237 of the Constitution requires that natural lakes, rivers, wetlands, national parks, game reserves, forest reserves and any land be reserved for ecological and touristic purposes and held by government or LGs in trust for the people as determined by parliament or law. As a trustee, government only has power to give concessions, licenses or permits in respect of the natural resources such as water resources; 3. Provisions of the Water Act, Cap 152 The Water Act, Cap 152 is the principal law for the water sector and it incorporates legislation for both water resources management and water supply and sanitation. The main objective of the Water Act as provided for in Section 4 are to: promote the rational management and use of the waters of Uganda; promote the provision of clean, safe and sufficient supply of water for domestic purposes to all persons; allow for the orderly development and use of water resources for animals, irrigation, industrial, commercial and mining uses, energy, navigation, fisheries, preservation of flora and fauna and recreation in ways which minimise harmful effects to the environment; and control pollution and to promote the safe storage treatment, discharge and disposal of waste which may pollute water or otherwise harm the environment and human health.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 22:55:59 +0000
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