Environmental management in Uganda: A reflection on the role of NEMA and its effectiveness in implementing Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA)

SSALI ISMAIL

Journal of Advanced Research in Social Sciences and Humanities
Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2020

Aim: This research aimed to examine how effectively the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) implemented an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA).Method: The study used a qualitative document review approach to learn more about EIA’s function and settlement occupant’s reactions to its enforcement in GKMA. Actor-Network Theory was employed to investigate the interplay of the factors.Findings: The results reveal that NEMA took on characteristics of a centralized and decentralized institution during different phases of EIA implementation and enforcement. Internal weaknesses such as a lack of skilled personnel, corruption, and poor implementation tactics were major reasons why the centralized approach to NEMA was less effective than the decentralized approach.Implications/Novel Contribution: Recent research provides an overview of NEMA’s regulatory structure. The study also covered the application of Actor-Network Theory to EIA in entrepreneurship setups.