THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW IN PRESERVATION OF WATER RESOURCES; A CASE STUDY OF RIVER RWIZI-MBARARA DISTRICT SSELUNGYEGYE DEUS KYOMYA REG. No.: LLB/12331/61/DU A RESEARCH DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A BACHELOR OF LAWS DEGREE OF KAMPALA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY 2010 Effectiveness of Environmental Law in Preservation of Water Resources TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration ............................................................................................. .i Approval. .............................................................................................. .ii Acknowledgement ................................................................................... .iii Dedication ............................................................................................. .iv CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Background of the Study ........................................................................................ I 1.2 Statement of the problem ....................................................................................... 2 1.3 Hypothesis ............................................................................................................ 3 1.4.1 Main Objective ................................................................................................... 4 1.4.2 Specific objectives .............................................................................................. 5 1.4.3 Research Questions ............................................................................................. 5 1.5 Scope of the study ................................................................................................. 5 1.6 Significance of the study ........................................................................................ 6 I. 7 Area of the study ................................................................................................... 6 1.8.0 Literature Review ............................................................................................. 11 1.8.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 11 1.8.1 Related cases .................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER TWO 2.0 Principles of environmental law ............................................................................ 16 2.1 The concept of sustainable Development.. ............................................................. 16 2.2 The principle oflntergenerational equity ............................................................... 22 2.3 The precautionary principle .................................................................................. 35 2.4 The polluter pay principle .................................................................................... 38 Sselungyegye. Deus. Kyomya Effectiveness ofEnvironmental Law in Preservation of Water Resources CHAPTER THREE 3.0 Environmental laws and policies that participate in exploitation preservation of water resources ......................................................................................................... 41 3.2 The National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) .................................................. 44 3.3 Assessment of the policy and legal framework of Biodiversity in the Uganda ........... 45 3.4 The basic element of a comprehensive and holistic framework of environmental law of Uganda includes the following ............................................................................... 45 3.5 The National Environment management Policy for Uganda ................................ 45 3.6 Environmental Administration .............................................................................. 4 7 3.7 Environmental administration at Local Level.. ....................................................... 50 3.8 Decentralization and Management of Water Resources and Associated Services ....... 51 CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 Presenting and Discussion of the Study Findings .................................................... 53 4.1 Some of human activities practiced in environmental degradation along R. Rwizi .. 53 CHAPTER FIVE 5.1 Possible recommendations to curb down environmental degradation ........................ 61 5.2 Ramsar Convention ............................................................................................. 63 5.3 Mitigation ........................................................................................................... 65 5.4 Pollution Control.. ............................................................................................... 65 5.5 Control of water use ............................................................................................ 66 5.6 Recommendations based on study findings ............................................................ 67 Sse/ungyegye. Deus. Kyomya Effectiveness ofEnvironmental Law in Preservation of 1Vater Resources LIST OF MAPS Map of Uganda Showing Mbarara District .................................................................... 8 Map ofMbarara Showing Mbarara Municipality ........................................................... 9 Map of Mbarara Municipality Showing River R wizi ...................................................... 10 LIST OF PHOTOS Photo 1 Shows Farming Activities along River Rwizi ............................................ 55 Photo 2 Shows Oil spills from Heavy Trucks that collect sand from River Rwizi. .......... .56 Photo 3 Shows Water Pump used to get water from River Rwizi ............................... .57 Photo 4 Shows Wastes damped along River Rwizi ................................................ 58 Photo 5 Shows Sewage Pond along River Rwizi ................................................... 60 Sselzmgyegye. Deus. Kyomya Effectiveness ofEnvironmental Law in Preservation of Water Resources DECLARATION I Sselungyegye Deus Kyomya do hereby declare that this dissertation report is mine and has never been submitted to any other Institution of learning by any one for academic award. Signed MR. SSEIUNGYEG DEUSKYOMYA DATE:. ~~Etm .U ......... Sselungyegye. Deus. Kyomya Effectiveness ofEnvironmental Law in Preservation of Water Resources APPROVAL This research has been submitted with my approval as University Supervisor. Signature..... .. .::1.':e .f................... .. FFREY ATWINE SUPERVISOR Sselungyegye. Deus. Kyomya 11 Effectiveness ofEnvironmental Law in Preservation of Water Resources ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to express my sincere thanks to all those who have assisted me in making this dissertation. Special thanks go to Mr. Patrick Mukozi of Directorate of Public Prosecutions at Nakawa Office and entire directorate whose policies allowed me to pursue further studies, Mr. Jeffrey Atwine; my Research Supervisor and my fellow students who tirelessly assisted me through various activities which have enabled me to come out with this Dissertation. May God bless you. Sse/ungyegye. Deus. Kyomya iii Effectiveness ofEnvironmental Law in Preservation of Water Resources DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to my entire family members especially my children whose presence inspired me to go back to school for further studies before they attain Secondary School going age and my wife Mbarebaki Winnie who kept providing for my family while I am at school, my father Mr. Alex Kyomya for his inspiration, guidance and financial assistance which have contributed much towards my study. May the Almighty God reward them. Sselungyegye. Deus. Kyomya iv Effectiveness of Environmental Law in Preservation of Water Resources CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Background of the Study Environment is defined to mean the physical factors of the surroundings of human beings, including land; water atmosphere climate, sound, and odor taste the biological factors of animals and plants and the social factor of aesthetics and include both the natural and the built environment. 1 Environmental law is a body of law which is a system of complex and interlocking statutes, common law treaties, conventions regulations and policies which seek to protect the natural environment which may be affected, impacted or endangered by human activities some environmental laws regulate the quantity and nature of impacts of human activities for example setting allowable levels of population. Other environmental laws are preventive in nature and seek to assess the possible impacts before the human activities can occur'. In subject of environmental law, enforcement relates to those set of actions that government or other persons take to achieve compliance with in the regulated community and to correct or halt situation that endanger the environment or public health. In all cases it is vital to note that effective environmental legislation must always be accompanied by increased environmental education and public awareness in order to achieve environmental protection and changes in behavioral norms. The National Environment Act Cap I 53 introduced a fundamental change in the management of all aspects of the environment. Before the introduction of the 1 Section I of the National Environment Act chapter 153 2 Section 2 of the National Environment Act chapter 153 Sselungyegye. Deus. Kyomya Effectiveness ofEnvironmental Law in Preservation of Water Resources Act, however, the principle themes in as far as criminal aspects in environment related laws was that most of the laws had outdated or outmoded criminal provisions