The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has halted the installation of a fuel pump in Hoima District after it was found to be proceeding without the required environmental approvals.
In a joint operation conducted over the weekend, the Environmental Protection Force, the Environmental Protection Police Unit, and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces intervened at a site in Bisenyi Village, Nyakabingo Parish, Buseruka Sub-county, stopping ongoing works and impounding equipment used in the installation.
Authorities confirmed that preliminary findings showed the developer had begun construction without approval from NEMA, a requirement under Uganda’s environmental regulatory framework.
The fuel pump equipment was confiscated and is being held as an exhibit at the NEMA Hoima Regional Office. The developer has also been summoned to assist with ongoing investigations.
NEMA emphasized that projects of this nature must first undergo an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and obtain formal clearance before any physical works begin. The authority warned that failure to comply constitutes a violation of the National Environment Act, Cap. 181, and may attract legal penalties.
The operation adds to ongoing enforcement efforts targeting unapproved developments, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas of the Albertine region, where regulatory agencies have intensified monitoring of infrastructure and energy-related projects.
