Busoga under threat: Climate change causes lake levels to surge

More like scenes out of a horror movie, residents on Lake Victoria islands in Busoga sub-region started observing the ‘sinking’ of their territories.

Harry Ojiambo, a resident of Masolya islands, Mayuge district, says he woke up five years ago to see sections of his maize field barely visible, covered under water.

“The entire scenario was of my garden disappearing under water.

I looked on in bewilderment for some time before realising that even the nearby boat docking point had been partially submerged,” he recounts.

Ojiambo, like other panic-stricken islanders, took time to come to terms with the reality of rising water levels that created an impression of the sinking of their lands.

At Golofa landing site on Lolwe Island, Namayingo district, the hitherto high-rise rocky edifice that gave the place its name has become partially submerged, posing a serious danger to water vessels.

“I was born here and have been fishing on these Lolwe waters for almost 30 years. However, of late, I cannot easily tell the location of the treacherous rocky structures now under water,” Deus Mangeni, a fisherman, testifies.

He adds that the phenomenon of rising water levels has created fear and consequent panic among islanders.

“People often say that we might wake up one morning to find the entire island engulfed by water.

There are signs, such as water seeping from some rocks further inland, suggesting that the land may be sinking into Lake Victoria,” Mangeni explains.

Ronald Sanya, the Namayingo district chairperson, acknowledges that the low-lying shoreline zones are completely under water.

Along the lake shoreline in neighbouring Mayuge district, Doctina and Margarita beach zones are equally partially under water that has taken over lakeside bars, restaurants and playfields.

According to Moses Basalirwa, a resident of Lugolole village, Baitambogwe sub-county in Mayuge district, the high lake levels have impacted negatively on visitors coming to the lakeside resorts.

“These beaches initially attracted several tourists but unfortunately, the sandy beaches and bar spaces are currently under Lake Victoria waters. It is really so disappointing to the investors,” Basalirwa argues.

Ruth Namugosa, a staff at Doctina beach, confirms that the establishment that opened in 2009 has now been partially submerged by the rising waters.

“The bar, kitchen, beachside seats and waterfront fence are under water. It is a big blow to this multi-million investment,” Namugosa notes.

Cissy Nafuna, a neighbour of the nearby Margarita resort beach, says the rising water levels have filled up the beach netball and volleyball pitches as well as benches.

“Once preferred by visitors, the shore zone is now a no-go territory for revellers who throng here over the weekends. Management is working on setting up alternative structures some distance away from the shores,” Nafuna says.

She observes that the status quo nowadays scares some beach lovers from visiting these hitherto popular recreational spots.

“In most lakeside locations, what used to be high-rise ground above low beach levels have become the new beaches. This creates the impression that the waters are now very deep and scary,” she claims.

At Kabuuka and Bwondha landing sites of Mayuge district, piles of stones are being used as a temporary measure at doorways to enable locals to walk across flooded compounds into their homes.

A similar scenario with residential houses submerged by lake waters exists at Wakawaka landing site in Bugiri district.

Noah Owere, a resident of Kabuuka, says one can wake up in the morning when the water has found its way into the house.

“In fact, the lakeside houses are about to collapse anytime as water has weakened the walls over time.

The level just keeps rising and we have no control over it,” Owere observes.

A resident washing clothes from her veranda in a flooded compound at Wakawaka beach in Bugiri.

At Namugongo and Nakalanga landing sites in Mayuge district, the waters have covered up the sandy beaches where residents dock their boats.

Paul Baisi, the Nakalanga LCI chairperson, explains that fishing boats have to be fastened onto rocks or huge tree trunks to save them from floating away with the raised water levels.

“The beachside shelters are currently under water. Actually, we nowadays have nowhere to weigh the fish from when it is brought in by fishermen,” Baisi laments.

The flooded shoreline stretches as far as Namoni landing site in Malongo sub-county of Mayuge, whereby rising waters have filled up the entire field of Namoni Primary School.

Jonah Kalenzi, the head teacher of a school by the lakeside, complains that it is a serious challenge to undertake co-curricular activities at the flooded sports field.

“How do you allow pupils to play football or netball with a risk of drowning? There is also a possibility of being attacked by crocodiles,” Kalenzi says.

Jeremiah Okello, the Kabuka beach LCI chairperson, says the flooded beaches pose a health hazard to lakeside communities as some latrines had been flooded thereby polluting the surroundings.

“It is very easy for faecal matter to get into the water sources. Within no time we may have cholera or typhoid outbreaks in the area,” Okello warns.

What went wrong?

Records from the meteorological department indicate that the lake waters have gone up by 13.12 metres. The highest level so far recorded was 13.46m; attained in 1964.

Dr Callist Tindimugaya, the commissioner of water resources in the water and environment ministry, attributes the status quo to the impact of man’s activities on the water body.

He believes deforestation, settlement and farming in the lakeshore wetlands could have reduced marshland capacity to contain inflows into the lake, thereby resulting in the large volume of water.

“Please go back to safer ground where you are meant to be. It is only a matter of time for such disasters to strike those errant settlers,” Tindimugaya warns.

He notes that climate change, characterised by shifts in temperature and weather patterns, brings about heavy rain periods or El Niño leading to such flooding.

According to him, once the control measures or safeguards for floods like swamps are not in place, then the lake takes large volumes of water, like in the present situation.

Godfrey Kasirye, the Baitambogwe LC3 chairperson, believes the heavy rains of 2019 somehow started the noticeable rise in lake water levels, causing a gradual submerging of beachside structures.

“It is not only the beaches used for recreation that are affected. Entire landing sites are now under water like Buluba, Bwondha, Kabuka and so on,” Kasirye reveals.

He adds that this was a natural phenomenon of the lake whereby man has no control and can only relocate elsewhere.

Paul Mulyabintu, the Buluba LCI defence secretary, attributes the state of affairs to human settlements that turned beachside wetlands into farmlands that cannot retain running water that ends up in the lake.

Children swimming from the flooded bar and kitchen at Doctina beach in Mayuge district.

Sam Cheptoris, the water and environment minister, warns that the rising water levels that are threatening the existence of islands are a clear testimony of consequences related to human destruction of natural ecosystems like swamps and forests.

“Man has been so unfair and indifferent to the environment. So nature is hitting back with vengeance in a bid to restore the status quo,” he claims.

He warns that the current flooding pattern observed on the lakes may get worse before it finally gets better.

Impact on Buvuma

Janepher Nantume Egunyu, the Buvuma Woman MP, observes that some sections of the district composed of 56 islands have started having traces of water seeping through the rocky surface.

“The flooding waters have filled the roadway at Bulondo Primary School. This has sent mixed signals to the residents who keep hearing stories of sinking islands elsewhere,” she says.

According to Egunyu, the roadway has been made almost impassable at the marshland adjacent to the Busamuzi subcounty headquarters.

Lake Kyoga levels

At Busulumba beach on Lake Kyoga in Kaliro district, the lakeside fishermen’s shelter is already submerged due to rising water levels.

Elijah Kagoda, the district chairperson, says the high water levels have forced farmers to abandon lakeside farmlands.

Yona Waako, a fisherman, observes that the mudfish habitats have been flooded, leading to a decrease in the catch of recent.

“We shall have access again when the water levels recede,” he says.

The situation elsewhere

At Sigulu Island, Namayingo district, Matoro landing site and neighbouring beaches are currently under water.

Alex Ojiambo, a resident of Matoro zone, says boats nowadays dock on verandas as the water levels are now much higher.

“The gardens that used to be at the waterside are long gone. This could lead to food shortage on the island in future,” Ojiambo suggests.

He says all lakeside houses have been abandoned with semi-permanent structures simply washed away by the huge waves.

Hanzala Namumbya, an islander, laments that she is being sheltered by relatives after her compound was swallowed up by the rising waters.

“Life is not easy for me at all. It is not even clear when the lake water level will eventually recede,” Namumbya says.

Michael Ochieng, the Buhoba LCI chairperson, said an estimated 16 homesteads have been deserted with over 90 residents displaced by the rising waters around Sigulu Islands.

He discloses that some boats got carried away in the night with the rising tide and have not been recovered since.

“We are lucky that we do not leave the engines on the boats. Otherwise that would be a double loss,” Christopher Mukama, a fisherman, says.

Mukama argues that the fishing grounds have equally been affected with the rising waters, making it difficult to trace such points.

“The deep waters are even a challenge to the inferior boats. This implies whoever does not have a motorised boat may find difficulty in getting onto the lake for fishing purposes,” he says.

Rukia Nakadama, the third deputy prime minister and Mayuge woman MP, narrates that reports coming in indicate that islanders on the eight islands of the local government are in a dilemma over the high water levels.

The islands off the Mayuge mainland include Jaguzi, Kaaza, Sserinya B, Bumba, Sagiti, Ssimwe, Malongo and Masolya.

She discloses that over 3,500 islanders at Masolya and Ssimwe are in panic mode as the islands seem to be slowly going under water.

Paul Baisi, the Nakalanga landing site LCI chairperson in Mayuge district, observes that boats no longer have docking points and it is very difficult to load any water vessel.

“This state of affairs is complicated by the increased depth at the beaches. In fact, most distinct landmarks that guide boatmen to each beach have been submerged,” Baisi says.

At Busulumba beach on Lake Kyoga in Kaliro district, the lakeside fishermen’s shelter is already submerged due to rising water levels.

Elijah Kagoda, the district chairperson, says the high water levels have forced farmers to abandon lakeside farmlands.

Yona Waako, a fisherman, observes that the mudfish habitats have been flooded, leading to a decrease in catch of recent.

“We shall have access again when the water levels recede,” he says.

Solutions

Moses Batwala, the Jinja district chairperson, says residents are being advised to respect the lake boundaries by avoiding setting up gardens right up to the shoreline.

Cheptoris advises locals to vacate wetlands so that the rejuvenation of natural swamp vegetation can stop the uncontrolled runoff into lakes whenever it rains.

“Some lakeside settlements need to be just vacated. There are people who have gone as far as reclaiming lake space for expansion purposes, but such zones are now flooded,” he says.