Arrangements have been finalized by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to enact regulations to guide the implementation of sections of the Environment laws.
The new regulations seek to operationalize sections 27, 28 and 29 of the National Environment Act in regard to management of environment at urban and district levels.
According to the National Environment Act of 2019, Section 27 provides for the District environment and natural resources committee; section 28 relates to the Functions of district environment and natural resource committees while section 29 is for the Environment and Natural resources conditional grant.
James Muhindo, a senior legal officer at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) said that the new regulations would guide the implementation of these sections to ensure sustainable use of natural resources.
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He said the regulations provide for the establishment of Urban and District environment and natural resource committees and also provide for the function of the committees as well as the procedures on how the said committees would be operating.
According to Muhindo, the regulation spells out the composition of the committees which include Members of Parliament, chairpersons, environment officials, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and that they are about 12 to 14 members to make a quorum with a secretariat.
“The functions of the environment and natural resource committees are to coordinate the activities of urban or district councils relating to management of environment and natural resources, to prepare districts and natural resources plans, ensure that environmental concerns are integrated in all plans and projects approved by the urban or district council, prepare the districts state of the environment report, to assist in the formulation and enforcement of ordinances and bylaws related to the management of environment,” Muhindo explained.
He added that the final draft of the new regulations shall be completed by July 2026 and submitted to the Attorney General and Ministry of finance before being approved by the Minister of Water and Environment in December 2026.
He made the remarks during a strategic meeting convened to discuss the new roadmap towards the completion of the New Regulations in Kampala.
Environment watchdog, NEMA with environment advocacy body, Environmental Management for Livelihood Improvement Bwaise facility (EMLI) and World-Wide Fund (WWF) have developed the draft National Environment (District Environment and Natural Resources Committee) Regulations, 2025.
Robert Bakiika, Technical Advisor in the Ministry of Water and Environment asked the stakeholders to always ensure that citizens play a key role in implementation of the laws to achieve equity and governance in the sector.
“I really believe that if we continue to make our communities understand these jargons of the environment, climate terms and terminologies, we will have self-compliance which has lasting solutions,” he said.
With the new regulations, Bakiika said: “We want to ensure that with these laws we put on paper, the communities and users of natural resources get to know what they do, and what their role is.”
He said that the authorities and experts cannot claim to be the drivers; “we are catalyzing the process of preserving the resources where we derive our livelihoods to be used sustainably but also respect the user and the duty bearers who manage the resources.”
“If we can promote civic compliance than using enforcement; I know Ugandans are stubborn; you cannot just tell them not to step on the grass, but I always believe that natural resource laws and management require some civic work, especially continuous education,” he added.
Bakiika observed that the country has witnessed confrontations during enforcement to preserve the environment because authorities go to people who do not understand the difference between a regulation and a policy.
Environment experts say that the country has made laws on environment compliance that are lethal, a situation that has since sparked increasing impunity.
“You wonder why is it that when we have environmental police, we have patrols, we have Wildlife wardens, poaching is increasing, wetland encroachment is increasing, are we trying to show each other who is stronger that is why things are getting messy!” they said.
What The law Says…
Section 27 (1) of the National Environment Act provides for every district in Uganda to establish a District Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
Section 27 (3) of the Act further mandates the Minister to prescribe the procedures of the district environment and natural resources committee.
