Kampala, Uganda
Two Ugandan pastors have been arrested and appeared in court over noise pollution as government launches crackdown on churches emitting noise beyond the set limits.
The National Environmental Authority – the body charged with protecting the environment in the country – conducted the operations in which the pastors were arrested. NEMA identified them as Edward Mukisa and Herman Ssebunje of Nkumba Miracle Centre in Wakiso District, Central Uganda.
Some of the loudspeakers confiscated from the churches and bars by the National Environmental Authority. PICTURE: Courtesy of NEMA.
According to a press statement released by NEMA on 29th June, the two pastors were notorious for noise pollution and had ignored several warnings to control noise from their church.
“NEMA acted after receiving continuous complaints from residents living around the church on Bendegere LC1 in Katabi sub-county about the noise pollution from the Church,” the statement read in part. “The two have been charged with failure to undertake an environmental and social impact assessment; engaging in activities that result in or aggravated pollution; discharging and emitting environmental easements as required by the National Environmental Act No 5 of 2019.”
The suspects were arrested on Friday, 24th June, and paraded before Buganda Road Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 28th June. They were remanded until 12th July when their bail application will be heard.
The proprietors of a Kampala bar were also charged in the same court over cases related to noise pollution.
NEMA’s operation follows a warning by Uganda’s Deputy Inspector General of Police, Major General Geoffrey Tusiime Katsigazi who on 29th April directed regional and district police commanders to launch operations targeting churches and bars breaching noise pollution laws.
He said police were intervening after an increase in noise pollution, particularly from churches and bars within and outside the capital Kampala.
“I am directing the territorial police commanders to help in ensuring that this law is enforced,” Katsigazi said. “The commanders should work closely with the environmental police and local authorities in their respective areas in executing these operations.”
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But religious leaders who spoke to Sight after the directive had appealed to police to first explain to them how the ban on noise pollution would be enforced before launching the crackdown. The clergy had expressed concern that many of them did not understand the technicalities within the noise pollution law.
In Uganda, pollution of the environment (noise or otherwise) is a criminal offence under Section 163 of the National Environment Act, No 5, of 2019. A person who commits a pollution related offence is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding 50,000 currency points or imprisonment not exceeding 15 years or both.
The law requires that places of worship and production activities either submit project briefs or undertake environmental impact assessments to enable relevant authorities to guide their operations.
