Walking against climate change, Ayeni starts 370km trek

Nov 06, 2018

They will cross landmarks including Mabira Forest reserve and the longest bridge across the Nile, the new Nile Bridge

The floods and mudslides that recently swept through the mountainous district of Bududa are still fresh on people's minds. The death toll was 60 when calm over River Tsuume returned.

This is part of what has motivated Geoffrey Walker Ayeni to walk for 370kms from Kampala to Kapchorwa. He wants to raise awareness about the changing change so that the population can rise up against it.

"We are walking for 370kms to create awareness about the effects of climate change," said Ayeni. "We will be stopping at the factories and districts and telling them about the dangers of climate."

Ayeni who is the chief walker was flagged off on Monday by the director, Environment affairs in the Ministry of Water and Environment, Paul Mafabi flanked by Chebet Makuit, the commissioner of the climate change department in the ministry of water and environment.

The other walkers accompanying Ayeni are Gerald Muhumuza who is the deputy headmaster at Bishop Cyprian at Luzira and Ronald Ahimbisibwe.

Christopher Tusiime under the resilience and inclusion program under Care International and Geoffrey Kamese under the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) also attended. The Walkers Association of Uganda also attended. Care International, World Conservation Union, NAPE (National Association of Professional Environmentalists) are some of the partners to the walkers.

It will take the team of walkers led by Ayeni, 10 days to walk from Kampala to parts of eastern Uganda. They are walking through Mukono where they will make a stop over and plant trees and later walk through Jinja, Iganga, Tororo, Mbale and Kapchworwa.

They will cross landmarks including Mabira Forest reserve and the longest bridge across the Nile, the new Nile Bridge. They will pass in the vicinity of Tororo Rock, Mbale Clock Tower and walk in the shadows of Mt. Elgon, the legendary Sipi Falls running through the slopes of Mt. Elgon.

The team of walkers will be honoured with the presence of the Minister of Environment, Sam Cheptoris on the last day. They will also pick plastic bags in Kapchorwa Town and also plant trees in Kapchorwa.

Previously, Ayeni walked from Kampala to Kapchorwa covering 320kms, he also walked from Kampala to Kasese early this year. He also walked across the 10km-Mabira forest reserve along Kampala-Jinja Highway. He was funded by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and later by IUCN.

He was also sponsored by Government of Uganda attended the Conference of Parties dubbed as COP under Climate Change in Bonn, Germany last year.

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