The Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court in Kampala has convicted Southern Range Nyanza Limited (NYTIL) and ordered the company to pay a Shs 180 million fine for illegally discharging industrial effluent onto neighbouring land and into a section of the River Nile.
The River Nile is one of Uganda’s most important natural resources, supporting water supply, fisheries, agriculture, hydropower generation, biodiversity conservation and the livelihoods of millions of people. Its protection is considered essential to environmental sustainability and national development.
According to court proceedings, NYTIL unlawfully discharged pollutants from its facility in Buikwe District between April 2024 and November 2025 without meeting the environmental standards required under Uganda’s laws.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), acting on its mandate to enforce environmental compliance, investigated the matter, collected evidence of the illegal discharge, and prosecuted the company before the court.
On Tuesday, 2 June 2026, Chief Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu convicted the company after it pleaded guilty to the charges. In addition to the fine, the court ordered NYTIL to restore the affected land and the polluted section of the River Nile within 30 days.
The court further directed NEMA to supervise the restoration process and submit a compliance report to ensure that full environmental recovery is achieved.
NEMA welcomed the ruling, saying it underscores the importance of environmental compliance and reinforces the principle that polluters must take responsibility for restoring damaged ecosystems.
