River Semiliki might also become an area of dispute

Oct 15, 2009

<b>By Naomi Karekaho</b><br><br>Environment degradation is self-avenging. When the environment is degraded it often avenges with fury. In Uganda there have been cases of flooding of homes located where wetlands used to be, relentless droughts due, in p

By Naomi Karekaho

Environment degradation is self-avenging. When the environment is degraded it often avenges with fury. In Uganda there have been cases of flooding of homes located where wetlands used to be, relentless droughts due, in part, to cutting of trees indiscriminately and invasive plant and animal species which are dangerous to indigenous ones.

There is another form of environment degradation that has potential to cause animosity among neighbouring countries. This is because most colonial boundaries were drawn using physical features like mountains, lakes and rivers that are currently experiencing degradation.

Uganda is demarcated by natural features like Mount Elgon to the east, in the South east is Lake Victoria and River Kagera, western, lakes Edward, Albert, River Semiliki, Mount Rwenzori and to the South west, Mount Muhabura.

The features which mark Uganda’s geographical boundaries are also a natural source of livelihood to the surrounding communities. With recent economic and population pressure, these resources have been excessively used which has led to some of the lakes and rivers being silted and polluted by deposits from surrounding catchment areas and wearing away of the river banks.

River Semiliki particularly forms a geographical boundary between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The river banks have been degraded by overstocking leaving the ground bare, prone to agents of soil erosion and hence the banks of the river collapsing in the river waters.

Consequently, Uganda has lost territory to DRC and altered the previously defined territorial boundary of the two countries.

The change caused conflict among the communities and it took the intervention of the Government through NEMA, Nile Transboundary Environmental Action Project (NTEAP) together with Bundibugyo District Authorities, local NGOs and communities to put in place measures to reverse the situation using the ecosystems approach.

The ecosystem concept is based on the premise that the earth operates in a series of interrelated systems within which all components are linked, so much so that a change in any one component may bring about some corresponding change in other components and in the operation of the whole system.

In the case of River Semiliki, a number of activities were undertaken to restore the river banks in accordance with the Constitution.

It requires that the Government holds natural resources in trust for the people and protect wetlands, rivers and lakes for the common good. This should be consistent with the national environment (wetlands, riverbanks, and lakeshores) 2000, regulations.

Restoration activities to restore River Semiliki’s banks included; conducting community sensitisation and education on the management of the fragile river banks. Developing and operationalising an ecosystem management action plan through a participatory approach. Fencing off 100m from the river bank as a no-grazing zone. Establishing functional natural resource management by-laws and enforce the national policies on the Ugandan side of the river.

Other interventions on River Semiliki included documenting lessons learnt packaged for replication on other rivers. Identifying animal watering points, landing sites and other active centres along the river through participatory approaches and zoning off the fenced area into user and non-user zones has been completed.

Other water systems which have suffered degradation include Lake Victoria due to soil erosion from River Kagera which deposits massive silt into the lake.

Satellite images indicate heavy deposits into the lake have caused development of an island like feature at the entrance of the river. There is a possibility that this may become solid ground which would cause ownership misunderstandings.

The writer is the public relations officer NEMA

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