Exposed: When Government Saved Its ‘Critic’ MP Kivumbi From Environmental Crime

A stunning revelation has emerged about an opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) Member of Parliament for Butambala, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, who committed a grave environmental crime.

The MP allegedly “degraded a wetland along Kira-Kasangati-Matugga road and constructed a hotel,” violating the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) guidelines. This egregious act led to Muwanga’s arrest and eventual detention by the Uganda Police Force’s Environmental Protection Unit (EPPU).

The EPPU, tasked with enforcing environmental laws and preventing environmental crimes, took swift action against the motor-mouthed legislator.

In arresting Muwanga, EPPU officers were acting within the confines of their mandate including surveillance, monitoring the environment around the clock, investigating environmental crimes, ensuring compliance with environmental laws, and collaborating with other law enforcement agencies.

However, sources reveal that the renowned opposition MP’s freedom was “negotiated after a top government official intervened on his behalf.”

This raises questions about the MP’s moral authority to question the government’s wrongdoings, as one observer questioned, “how can you [Muwanga Kivumbi] credibly criticize the government for anything wrong with its operations including menacing environmental degradation when you have done the same thing yourself?”

The incident occurred during the COVID-19 lockdown, a time when the government was emphasizing the importance of environmental protection to support the good climate, which is a notable facilitator for the availability of food that kept Uganda going during the time of saving people’s lives from ruthless COVID-19 virus.

Ironically, President Museveni, the supposed Kivumbi’s archrival has not only been vocal about conserving Uganda’s wetlands but also directed NEMA to demolish houses and properties of poor Ugandans who encroached on wetlands, particularly in the Lubigi channel.

Kivumbi’s double standard has sparked outrage, with many Ugandans demanding answers.

“If the MP is honest, can he reveal who saved him from incarceration. The case has since been retired, and the hotel is nearing completion, with an official opening imminent,” one unnamed citizen who is a victim of Lubigi massive demolition asked.

The politics of grandstanding are at play

Muwanga’s vocal criticism of the government’s policies including on the environment conservation, rings hollow in light of his own actions.

“The characteristics of the moral posturing of selective outrage are evident as Muwanga seeks to capitalize on the government’s weaknesses while ignoring his own transgressions. In other countries where morality is the order of the day, he would have resigned without waiting to be pushed. Otherwise, he is among those responsible for killer floods in Kampala, and its surroundings,” a concerned citizen said.

To others, Muwanga’s actions undermine his self-proclaimed “credibility and perpetuate a culture of impunity.”

“When leaders violate the laws they are supposed to uphold, it erodes trust in the entire system,” one commentator, asserted.

The EPPU’s efforts to enforce environmental laws are commendable, but their effectiveness is compromised when politicians like Muwanga Kivumbi are allowed to flout the rules. The unit’s collaboration with other agencies is crucial in preventing environmental crimes, but it requires strong political will.

With the environmental scandal a section of Ugandans are asking; can Kivumbi truly claim to be a champion of credible leadership Ugandans deserve?

Will Kivumbi come clean about his dealings and take responsibility for his actions, or will he continue to hide behind his politician’s cloak?