The Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court in Kampala has convicted and fined Southern Range Nyanza Limited (NYTIL) Shs 180 million after the company pleaded guilty to illegally discharging industrial effluent onto neighbouring land and into a section of the River Nile.

The River Nile, a vital national resource, supports water supply, fisheries, agriculture, hydropower generation, biodiversity conservation, and the livelihoods of millions of Ugandans.

Protecting it is essential for environmental sustainability and national development.NYTIL was charged with unlawfully releasing pollutants into the environment in breach of Uganda’s environmental laws and regulatory standards.

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) launched investigations after detecting the violations, gathered evidence of the illegal effluent discharge, and brought the case to court.

The court heard that between April 2024 and November 2025, NYTIL discharged untreated industrial effluent from its facility in Buikwe District onto adjacent land and directly into a section of the River Nile, failing to meet required environmental standards.

On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Chief Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu convicted the company based on its guilty plea and imposed a Shs 180 million fine.

The court also ordered NYTIL to restore the affected land and the polluted section of the River Nile within 30 days.

The magistrate further directed NEMA to supervise the restoration process and submit a compliance report to confirm full environmental recovery.

NEMA welcomed the judgment, describing it as a strong affirmation of environmental compliance and the principle that polluters must bear responsibility for rehabilitating damaged ecosystems.