Uganda’s Luwero residents demand action over air, water pollution from Victoria Sugar Factory 

UGANDA – Residents of Luwero District in central Uganda have called on the Ministry of Health and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to urgently address what they describe as severe air and water pollution from Victoria Sugar Factory. 

Local leaders and villagers say emissions from the factory are worsening health problems and damaging the environment, with fears of a looming public health emergency if no intervention is made. 

Buule Kose Kizito, LC1 chairman of Yandwe village, said the situation has left residents grappling with persistent coughs, flu-like symptoms, and contaminated water sources. 

“The factory releases thick smoke that breaks into ashy particles and spreads across our homes. Many residents are coughing and suffering. Government must step in and compel these factories to protect the people,” he stated. 

Isaac Wampamba, the Luwero District Councillor for Butuntumula Sub-County, confirmed receiving numerous complaints from residents. He said both Victoria Sugar and PRO factories are affecting more than nine villages, including Yandwe, Ndibulungi, Kakabala, and Nnalongo.  

“There is constant noise, soot covering fruits and vegetables, and visibly black water. Some families have abandoned their homes while others have stopped eating their vegetables. The government must act immediately,” he warned. 

According to Wampamba, the pollution is not only staining clothes and destroying gardens but also threatening livelihoods, with families feeling neglected and abandoned. 

In response to the complaints, NEMA Executive Director Dr. Barirega Akankwasah confirmed that a team of inspectors would be dispatched to assess the situation. “We shall send inspectors to investigate this latest complaint of particles. The other time it was water pollution. Now I will send inspectors for air quality,” he said. 

The concerns in Luwero come at a time when Uganda is already battling rising pollution-related illnesses. The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) reports that cancer cases have doubled over the past decade, with approximately 33,000 new cases annually.  

Health experts point to industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust as major contributors to lung cancer and respiratory diseases. 

A 2023 study by Makerere University’s School of Public Health found that residents living near industrial zones in Kampala and Wakiso had higher incidences of asthma, chronic cough, and suspected lung complications compared to rural populations.  

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has ranked air pollution among the top five public health threats in the country. 

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