Uganda’s environmental watchdog NEMA has exposed the extent of environmental degradation on Lake Victoria by Speke Hotels, the developer of Speke Resort and Convention Centre in Entebbe.
The project site in Kitubulu, Katabi sub-county, Wakiso District, is owned by Rajiv Ruparelia, the son of former owner of defunct Crane Bank, Sudhir Ruparelia.
It has emerged that during the construction of the hotel, large quantities of murram were dumped at the fringes of Lake Victoria in Kitubulu, Entebbe, degrading the shore of the water resource which employs 30 million people.
Rajiv Ruparelia claims the murram was being “ferried to the site to recover the original project area that was taken up by the rising water levels.”
However, NEMA said this was contrary to one of the conditions in the Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) certificate which compels the developer to prevent degradation of the Lakeshorein accordance with the National Environment (Wetlands, Riverbanks and Lake Shores Management) Regulations S.I. No. 153-5.
Developers like Rajiv are required by law to facilitate the sustainable utilization and conservation of resources on the lake shore by and for the benefit of the people and community living in the area.
The law also restricts the deposit of “any substance on a riverbank or lakeshore if that substance would or is likely to have adverse effects on the environment.”
The law says, “No activity shall be permitted within protected zones without the written authority of the Executive Director.”
No permit
Media understands that Speke Hotel was also required to apply for a Lake shore user permit from NEMA as recommended by Wakiso District Local Government (through the environment officer) but such a permit has never been issued.
It remains unclear why Rajiv was allowed to start civil works at the project site without obtaining all the necessary permits.
Clean up of murram that was dumped at the fringes of the lake in kitubulu has started this evening. #NEMAworks@ABarirega @nemaugED @NKarekaho @LeilaGonasa @dorynko @anitakariisa @newvisionwire @DailyMonitor @tonylala @KagutaMuseveni @min_waterUg @CapitalFMUganda @MableNamubiru pic.twitter.com/hgsNgliMmN
— National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) (@nemaug) December 15, 2021
NEMA cracks the whip
On November 2, 2021 during routine environmental surveillance, two supervisors were arrested from the site for dumping murram in Lake Victoria.
A total of five people were arrested during the operation, four trucks were impounded and the Environment Police Protection Unit was also deployed on site to stop any further degradation.
On December 8, 2021, NEMA conducted an operation following a public outcry on social media about the developer dumping more murram into Lake Victoria.
NEMA responded by halting activities at the project site “for continued breach of conditions of approval in the Environment and Social Impact Assessment certificate.”
Destruction of Lake Victoria
NEMA said while it is true that since 2019 the water levels in Lake Victoria, the Nile and other water bodies have been rising owing to factors associated with climate change including increased rainfall; other aspects such as encroachment on wetlands, lakeshores and river banks, and poor land use practices have amplified the impacts.
Researchers say encroachment on the Lake’s shores threatens to destroy Africa’s second largest freshwater lake resource and major tourist destination.
Lake Victoria, covering nearly 68,800 sqkm, is shared by Kenya (6 percent by area), Uganda (43 percent) and Tanzania (51 percent).
Its basin, according to specialists, has the fastest-growing population in East Africa – more than 30 million people. Much of this population derives its livelihood directly or indirectly from the lake.
“Permission to develop recreation centres including hotels within the 200-meter buffer zone of the lake is granted on the basis of facilitating sustainable tourism, however, developers ought to utilize the resource sustainably,” said NEMA.
READ ALSO: Two arrested in Kitubulu for degradation of Lake Victoria
Meeting
Meanwhile, on December 15, NEMA and Speke Hotel representatives led by Rajib met to discuss how to sustainably undertake the project without compromising the integrity of Lake Victoria and the surrounding environment.
NEMA officials said the project was halted for breach of conditions of approval that required the developer to first obtain a permit for developments in a lake shore before commencing and lake shore degradation from soil siltation into Lake Victoria.
During the meeting chaired by NEMA Executive Director, Dr. Barirega Akankwasah at the NEMA Head Office, it was resolved that, “all construction on site remains suspended until relevant permits have been obtained; except for the gatehouse which is far from the lake shoreline.”
Speke Hotels was also directed by NEMA to “submit weekly reports of compliance to the issued NEMA Stop Notice.’
The Stop Notice issued to Speke Hotel (1996) Limited on December 10, 2021 by NEMA will remain inforce until the Developer’s Lakeshore user permit application submitted to NEMA last year is disposed of.
Rajiv’s company was also told to explore design adjustments to take care of the impacts of the rising water levels of Lake Victoria so that the developer’s portion of the land taken up by the lake is kept as a lake or used for non-permanent structure uses like a beach.
It was also decided that excavation of murrum from burrow pits without approvals should stop immediately, and the relevant approvals should be sought in accordance with the law.
“As an instant mitigation measure, the murram that has been dumped at the fringes of the lakeshore line MUST be immediately drawn backwards and leveled to avoid any siltation of the lake,” said NEMA.
The Ruparelia family says it wants to develop a recreational area including a sand beach, marina and hotel within the 200 metres buffer zone of the lake.
The site in question is the former Ssese Gateway Beach, which was later acquired by Speke Hotel (1996) limited.
Ruparelia Group under Speke Group of Hotels has facilities Speke Resort and Conference Centre, Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, Kabira Country Club, Speke Hotel, Dolphin Suites, Tourist Hotel, Forest Cottages, Speke Resort Bujagali Falls and the Speke Apartments.
