By Spy Uganda 
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has issued an Environmental Restoration Order against PRO Industries Ltd after investigations confirmed the degradation of part of Lubuge Wetland in Ndibulungi Village, Bututumula Sub-county, Luwero District. 
In a press release dated January 23, 2026, NEMA disclosed that the enforcement action followed persistent community complaints regarding environmental pollution linked to the company’s distillery operations. A joint inspection conducted on January 11, 2026, by officers from the Hoima Environment Protection Force (EPF), the Environmental Police Protection Unit (EPPU), and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) established serious violations of environmental safeguards.
According to NEMA, PRO Industries Ltd was found to have directly discharged untreated effluent into the wetland, in addition to poorly managing industrial sludge generated from cassava and maize processing at its distillery. These practices were deemed to be in direct breach of conditions stipulated in the company’s Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) certificate.
Environmental experts involved in the inspection reported that the illegal discharge had caused extensive ecological damage, including the drying up of wetland vegetation and the destruction of both micro and macro organisms vital to the wetland’s ecological balance. Lubuge Wetland forms part of a broader hydrological system that supports groundwater recharge, flood control, and livelihoods for surrounding communities, making its degradation particularly concerning.
Background to the Dispute
Residents of Ndibulungi and neighbouring villages have, for several years, raised alarm over what they describe as unchecked industrial pollution emanating from the PRO Industries facility. Community members have repeatedly complained of foul smells, discoloured water channels, declining soil productivity, and the disappearance of wetland vegetation traditionally relied upon for grazing and small-scale farming.
Local leaders say the wetland had previously acted as a natural buffer during heavy rains but has increasingly lost its capacity due to industrial encroachment and pollution. Despite earlier engagements between residents, local authorities, and regulators, enforcement actions had remained limited until the latest inspection.
Sources familiar with the matter indicate that complaints intensified in recent months after visible effluent channels began cutting through the wetland, prompting renewed pressure on enforcement agencies to intervene.
Legal and Regulatory Action
Following the inspection, the director of PRO Industries Ltd, Mr. Asrashundhra Oswal, an Indian national, was summoned to NEMA’s Albertine Regional Office to record a statement. NEMA confirmed that a case file has since been opened to facilitate possible prosecution and further legal action.
Under Section 55 of the National Environment Act, Cap. 181, wetland degradation constitutes a criminal offence punishable upon conviction by a fine not exceeding 600 million shillings, imprisonment of up to 12 years, or both.
NEMA has reiterated that compliance with ESIA conditions is not optional and warned that developers who flout environmental regulations risk severe penalties, including closure, restoration orders, and prosecution.
As pressure mounts from affected communities and environmental advocates, the PRO Industries case is shaping up as a critical test of Uganda’s commitment to enforcing environmental protection laws against industrial polluters.
NEMA has urged the public to continue reporting environmental degradation through its regional offices, noting that community vigilance remains a key pillar in safeguarding the country’s fragile ecosystems.
