The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has carried out a citywide enforcement blitz against noise pollution, impounding music systems from several bars and entertainment spots across Kampala and its outskirts.
The weekend operation, spearheaded by NEMA’s Enforcement and Field Operations unit, focused on establishments that have repeatedly ignored warnings over excessive noise.
NEMA spokesperson Naomi Karekaho said the authority moved in after a surge of public concerns over loud music and disturbances in residential areas.
“We responded to persistent outcries from communities. Our teams confiscated equipment from premises that refused to comply with the permissible limits under the National Environment (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations of 2003,” Karekaho stated. 
The swoop covered a wide stretch of the Kampala Metropolitan region, including Mukono, Seeta, Bweyogerere, Kireka, Namugongo, Jjanda, Kulambiro, Bukoto, Katwe, Buloba, Makindye, Mengo, and the central business district.
Karekaho explained that the enforcement campaign is not simply punitive but a move to protect public health.
“Noise pollution contributes to stress, hearing complications, and lower productivity. It disrupts households, schools, hospitals, and even worship centres. As an environmental regulator, we must safeguard the constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment under Article 39,” she added.
NEMA cautioned that bars, nightclubs, and worship centres using amplified sound must adjust to the set standards or face tougher penalties. 
The authority also announced that more operations are scheduled in the coming weeks as part of a wider push to restore order in noise-prone neighbourhoods.
