MPs propose new measures to protect Lake Victoria

By Paul Kiwuuwa

MPs under the forum Network for Women Ministers and Parliamentarians (NAWMP) are proposing alternative means of livelihood to protect Lake Victoria.

The MPs expressed alarm at the rate at which Uganda’s largest fresh water lake was being depleted, during their tour of several islands in Mayuge district on Tuesday.

Kigulu South MP Milton Muwuma, who led the team on a fact-finding mission, told New Vision that the MPs had unanimously agreed to push for new sources of livelihood to reduce dependence on fishing by communities.

Shortly after the tour, Muwuma said the MPs would raise the matter before the House and propose a budget to help communities engage in alternative farming methods.

The proposed activities include, among others: tree planting, agriculture, zero grazing of cattle, poultry rearing, and bee keeping. 

The Bududa Woman MP Justine Khainza said; “the team will prepare a report to Parliament highlighting the threat to Lake Victoria and possible remedies to the growing dangers.”

The Bunya South MP, Iddi Isabirye hailing from Jaguzi Island, one of the numerous islands of Lake Victoria said the team will also engage fishing communities to teach them about the need for alternative means of livelihood. 

The MPs’ tour is part of the Alternative Means of Survival Project of Pathfinder International-Uganda, an ecological Christian organization. The organisation is implementing a three year project on health and environment conservation on Lake Victoria on the islands in Mayuge district.

The Pathfinder project officer Jaguzi Island Modest Kinawa said “our intervention is to address the population threats on the existing natural resources including Lake Victoria and forests.”

“We encourage the fishing communities to engage in crop agriculture, animal and poultry husbandly, tree plant plating. We sensitize the communities to reserve water areas for safer breeding centers for fish to mature before they are trapped.”Kanawa added.

Last year Vision Group embarked on a campaign dubbed Save Lake Victoria. Features ran on Bukedde FM & TV, Urban TV highlighting the abuse of the lake and its impact on the social economic wellbeing of Uganda and East Africa at large. 

Located in the Busoga region, a large portion of Mayuge district fishing community is found on the islands of Seguti, Jagusi, Vumba, Kaza, Nambuga and Simu. The islands located on Lake Victoria currently are occupied by permanent and migratory fishermen.

The Mayuge LC 5 Chairperson Haji Omar Bongo, said according to the Mayuge district population and planning office report 2011 the district population including the islands stands at over 300,000 people.

The Mayuge district population is expected to shoot up by the end of 2014 national population census.

The Buikwe South MP Micheal Lulume said “both the protected forests and private natural forests are under immense pressure from people harvesting timber, and charcoal burning”.

The MPs also expressed fear that if the donor community stops funding the fishing communities on the alternative generating activities, the communities are likely to deplete the lake.