Destroying nature puts Ankole on time bomb

President Museveni has renewed calls for residents to vacate wetlands with immediate effect or risk forceful eviction.

The warning, among others, targets those planting crops and eucalyptus trees in wetlands.

“When I was coming, I saw that there was some encroachment on the wetlands, rivers, and swamps. Those in wetlands should get out and we have got a big plan to install solar-powered water pumps near the wetlands so that we can pump water uphill or in the plains and we do irrigate agriculture instead of just depending on rain-fed agriculture,” he said.

The region has been badly hit by the devastating effects of climate change due to the continued environmental degradation.

Recently, some districts of Ibanda, Mbarara, Kiruhura, Kazo, and Rwampara were hit by floods and landslides, cutting off some roads.

Most of the districts in Ankole are hilly, for instance Buhweju, Rwampara, Isingiro, and Rubirizi, which makes them prone to landslides.

Ms Edina Nuwasasira, the senior environment consultant at Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (Acode), says despite advocacy campaigns on environmental conservation, people have continued to degrade the environment.

“People have practiced poor farming methods that don’t preserve and protect the land from running water, especially those that cultivate the hills,” she says.

Mr Vincent Kataate, the Bushenyi District environment officer, says they have conducted meetings with both local leaders and residents and sensitised them on the relevance of vacating the wetlands.

“We took time to teach residents the importance of restoring our wetlands because in the past people had a negative attitude towards us that we fear big people who have encroached on wetlands,” he says.

He identifies the most affected areas as Kitakuuka, Ryakahunga, and Nyakateete in Bumbaire Sub-county. Others are Kibaazi and Kikumbagazo in Kyamuhunga Sub-county and Kateere wetland in Kyabugimbi Sub-county.

Mr Kataate says wetland encroachment in the district currently stands at 30 percent.

Mr Alfred Agasirwe, a resident of Kakiika, Mbarara City north, blamed the situation on the negligence of district officials.

“Sand mining, bricklaying,  and encroachment on River Rwizi are taking place in Mbarara City even with the presence of a city environment officer and the Mbarara District environment officer. The Water and Environment ministry too has an office here,” he wonders.

 Mr Hamson Amanya, a resident of Irembezi in Bushenyi District, says environment experts should identify some of the risky areas and advise people to vacate.

“We have seen environment-related disasters that kill many people in the country like Bududa, Kasese and Mbale but we are not safe either because the nature of the environment in those areas is almost the same like ours in Buhweju but we are just sleeping and waiting for these disasters to strike,” says Mr Amanya.

The chairperson of Kigyende I Village in Kanyabwanga Sub-county, Mitooma District, Mr Nelson Katsigazi, calls for the relocation of some residents.

“We are in the rift valley and it’s where we carry out major economic activities like farming. We don’t have any other land. We are facing a looming disaster because some of our areas keep sinking and anytime our homes can be submerged. We have nowhere to go. This is the only land we have unless government intervenes and resettles us when it’s still early,” says Mr Katsigazi.

 Ms Anita Natukunda, an environment expert, says the government needs to invest in environmental protection rather than temporary interventions such as donating to disaster victims.

“If government can spend on exploring minerals, why can’t it invest in identifying and marking disaster-prone areas, caution and come up with mitigating ways,” she says.

Mr Benon Musime, a senior agriculture officer in Rwampara District, says poor farming methods are partly to blame for the disasters.

“When you go to Mwizi, you will find that the homesteads don’t have any trees to act as wind barriers on the periphery of the fields, which expose their gardens to strong winds, floods, and soil erosion,” he says.

The mayor of Mbarara City, Mr Robert Kakyebezi Mugabe, says the government should improve funding to address environmental challenges.

“As the city, how can we develop without water? Our major source of water, which is River Rwizi, has been encroached on and the water supply is drastically reduced. You cannot talk of development like industrialisation, improved sanitation, and hygiene without enough water supply.  Politicking has to stop. We apportion enough resources on the environment and implement laws on protection, without fear or favour,” says Mr Mugabe.

Ms Caroline Mbabazi, the Rukungiri District environment officer, says:  “As a district, we are trying our level best. Recently, we cleared trees and coffee trees that were nearing Bugangari wetlands and we even instituted a committee to keep monitoring these restored degraded areas.” 

Concerned bodies say

Mr Paul Turyamureeba, the principal public relations officer of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) in the western region, calls for community collaboration in the bid to save the environment.

“We need serious interventions to protect water resources; right now, for example, we are planning to draw water from River Kagyera because our major source of water in the southwestern region, which is River Rwizi, is no longer reliable. In 10 years if there are no serious interventions to protect water sources, NWSC might go but people will also die,” he says.

Mr Jeconious Musingwire, the western regional manager of the National Environment Management Authority (Nema), says the residents in the Ankole region are yet to see the worst.

“Unless people vacate the wetlands to allow them to hold the running waters and practice the sustainable land management system that includes afforestation, digging terraces on the hills, and land mulching, among others, such disasters will never end,” he says.

Background

In October, one person was confirmed dead as hailstorms devastated about 1,500 households in Rwampara District.

On February 19 last year, eight people were killed by landslides in Kyesika Village in Kitara, Karungu Sub-county in Buhweju District.

In 2017, according to the Rukungiri District environment officer, Ms Caroline Mbabazi, the district recorded more than 67 landslides between the months of May and October and a total eight people lost their lives.

In February 2015, Obed Mucunguzi, a resident of Nyaibingo A, Nyaibingo Parish in Ruhumuro Sub-county, Bushenyi District died together with his four family members when heavy rains swept away their house.

In September 2011, Jennifer Mbisimba, 50, lost her life when she was swept away by floods in Kyakanda Village in Buhweju District.

Compiled by Felix Ainebyoona, Rajab Mukombozi, Milton Bandiho, Sheillar Mutetsi & Ronald Kabanza