EVALUATING UGANDA'S LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Namatovu Maria Arielle1,

Environmental pollution is one of the most intractable and intricate challenges for Uganda's legal, institutional, and administrative frameworks. In spite of a comprehensive legal regime for environmental protection as provided for in the Ugandan Constitution of 1995, the National Environment Act of 2019, and the Land Act (Chapter 227), environmental pollution is on the increase in urban and rural areas. The purpose of this study is to critically analyze the effectiveness of the Ugandan legal and institutional framework in dealing with environmental pollution through a qualitative approach and a theoretical framework. The study evaluates various provisions of laws, their constitutional validity, effectiveness of various institutions such as the National Environment Management Agency (NEMA), National Forestry Authority (NFA), Ministry of Water and Environment, Environmental Policy Commission, and KCCA. The study also evaluates a comparative analysis of the legal system in East Africa and Africa. The authors of the study have found that although Uganda's environmental policy is functionally sound and is in line with international principles of environmental protection, it is still wanting in terms of effectiveness. The study concludes by stating that effective enforcement mechanisms, corporate responsibility, and advocacy for the judiciary are important for effective environmental policies.