Seven arrested over degrading River Rwizi in Rwampara
Some of the suspects are seen on a police vehicle after they were arrested over degrading R. Rwizi in Rwampara District on October 13, 2023. DOCK AMANYISA
What you need to know:
- The river is currently facing significant challenges, including unsustainable human activities and climate change that has led to its drying, gravely impacting its water levels.
Authorities in Rwampara District have arrested seven residents for carrying out activities that threaten the existence of the River Rwizi.
The operation, commanded by the Rwampara Residents District Commissioner (RDC) Jane Asiimwe Muhindo, the District Head of Natural Resources Evelyn Kyomugisha, and other security officials, combed areas of Kakigani, Nyeihanga, Nyamukana, and Kibaare and rounded residents who were digging and making bricks in the wetlands on Friday.
Asiimwe said that the operation follows President Museveni’s address, in which he instructed local government officials to crackdown on wetland encroachers countrywide.
“The River Rwizi is the lifeblood of the Ankole region because it is the only major river, and the residents here have degraded its banks and catchment areas. As leaders, we decided to get out and carry out these operations. Environmental protection is our role,” she told Monitor.
On her part, Kyomugisha, noted that the population living around River Rwizi has exerted more pressure on the river by polluting it, thus forcing it into imminent extinction.
“The life of this river has been threatened over the years, and we can’t sit and keep watching. We need more efforts in place to protect this treasure against encroachment. Uganda’s constitution, the National Environmental Management Act, and now the presidential directive empower us to protect wetlands in the district,” she explained
Kyomugisha added that the operation to rid River Rwizi of encroachers is going to be continuous to let the destroyed areas regenerate to support the river’s life.
Authorities say Friday’s detainees at Nyeihanga Police Station “will be charged with wetland degradation and flouting the presidential directive on wetlands.”
About River Rwizi
Located in southwestern Uganda, R. Rwizi is the second-longest river in Uganda, after the Nile. The river originates in the hills of Buhweju District and flows through the neighbouring districts of Sheema, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Rwampara, Mbarara, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Lyantonde, Rakai, and Kyotera before it eventually empties into Lake Victoria.
The River Rwizi plays a crucial role in supplying water for both domestic and industrial purposes to various towns in the area, including Mbarara, Bwizibwera, Sanga, and Biharwe. Additionally, it serves as an important transportation route and offers opportunities for fishing and recreation.
The river is, however, currently facing significant challenges, including unsustainable human activities and climate change that has led to its drying, gravely impacting its water levels.
