By Weswa Ronnie
JINJA
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) on Saturday, 27th December, 2025 arrested prominent Jinja City investor, Magan M. Patel over alleged illegal encroachment on a protected wetland along the Jinja–Iganga Highway.
Patel, a well-known businessman owning Nile Agro Factory, GM Sugar at Njeru Municipality and the MMP Industrial Park, was arrested on Saturday after NEMA enforcement officers reportedly found active construction activities in a wetland area adjacent to the UPDF Cemetery.
According to NEMA, Patel and his workers were found filling the wetland with soil, an act that contravenes Uganda’s environmental protection laws.
NEMA Communications Officer Jeffrey Opiyo confirmed the arrest, saying the businessman will be arraigned in court later this week.
He says the construction, which allegedly began about two weeks ago, had significantly encroached on the buffer zone of the Bugembe wetland
Opiyo adds that the suspect will be taken to court this week to answer charges related to wetland encroachment.
This is not the first time Patel has been accused of encroaching on the Bugembe wetland. In previous years, he reportedly constructed a factory in the same area.The backfilling has resulted in constant flooding of the highway whenever it rains and as the water from Mafubira side overwhelms the wetland before they find their way into Lake Victoria.
Some of the area’s residents expressed their happiness with the arrest say the Bugembe wetland plays a critical role as a buffer zone for storm water from surrounding areas, including Mailombiri, Igenge and Wanyange hills, as well as large parts of Bugembe Township.
They warn that continued degradation of the wetland threatens the wider ecosystem and has already contributed to frequent flooding in nearby neighbourhoods, particularly along Wanyama Road, where residents now experience waterlogging during heavy rains.
