The Role of the Environmental Protection Police Unit in the Protection of Wetlands: A Case of Kajjansi Peri-Urban Areas in Uganda

Abstract

The study explored the roles of the Environmental Protection Police Unit towards wetland protection in Uganda. Specifically, the study aimed at examining the provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting functions of wetlands and critically looked at the roles played by the environmental protection police unit in ensuring that these wetland values are protected. The specific objectives of the study included (a) to identify the factors that force people to degrade wetlands in Kajjansi peri-urban areas, (b) to evaluate the roles, gaps, and challenges of the environmental protection police unit, (c) to determine the relationship between levels of education and wetland resource use by different stakeholders. The study employed a correlational research design and data was triangulated in a mixed-methods research approach. Key findings indicate that house construction, brick, and tile manufacturing were the leading causes of wetland degradation. The roles of the environmental protection police unit, predict variations in wetland resource use given their P and F -values (P=0.000, F=50.134). The results indicate that the Environmental Protection Police Unit’s roles and responsibilities explain only 50.1% variations in sustainable wetland use revealed by the adjusted R square (R= 0.39). A regression value of 186.823 compared to the residual value of 290.665 was obtained, meaning that although the unit plays a significant role, other factors also strongly influence the proper use of wetlands. The relationship between wetland misuse and level of education was a moderate positive evidenced by (r =0.626, P-value˂0.01). The level of education of the respondents and sensitization by the police accounted for 63% for proper wetland use, while the remaining 37% which is unaccounted for is explained by other factors. The study recommended that the government through the Ministry of Water and Environment should increase funding to support the environmental protection police unit and also increase their manpower to monitor ongoing activities in wetlands to ensure their sustainable use.