Kadaga calls for more effort to save the environment

Kadaga flags off the race

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has called for a more concerted effort from Ugandans by planting more trees in order to save the environment.

Kadaga was speaking to participants before flagging them off the inaugural Running out of trees (ROOT) 330km run from Kampala to Gulu, at Parliament on Friday.

"Each Ugandan planting a tree each year as suggested by UBL Board Chairman Katto is not enough, we can do better by using different gatherings to plant more trees," Kadaga said.

"But I want to thank all of you for the effort. We should borrow the Ethiopian model by planting at least 20 million trees each year," Kadaga added before she challenged the state minister for environment protection Ronald Kibuule who was among the runners at the start to come up with an action plan.

"We have to take this seriously so that we can make an impact,"

On his part, Kibuule urged organisers of other runs to include tree planting initiatives so that more awareness can be created for people not only to think about the economic benefits from the trees but also think about the environment.

 A boy planting a tree during the Running Out of Trees marathon. PHOTOS: Michael Nsubuga

In his remarks before the run, KCCA acting Executive Director Andrew Kitaka underlined the dangers of climate change and weather changing patterns and the increasing population that is continuously eating away the forest cover.

"KCCA has put a lot of emphasis on tree planting and has planted 200,000 trees since 2015 but the rate at which trees in the urban centers is lost is alarming and we are reviewing the urban ordinance to curb the vice," Kitaka noted.

"The idea of tree planting is very important to this country because anyone can plant a tree that will benefit them most,"

He said KCCA has a plan of planting 50,000 indigenous trees in the city annually but that more support was needed from the different stakeholders.

Uganda Breweries Board Chairman Japheth Katto in his address used a number of impactful quotes from prominent leaders to urge Ugandans to save the environment by at least planting a tree each year.

"We wanted to start with the Gulu Highway because it is the most impacted by deforestation.

"I encourage the entire private sector to join us because environmental degradation is a reality and we thank the speaker for associating with us for this cause, so let us all go and plant trees for a better environment for the future generation," Katto stated.

The British High Commissioner Peter West and other dignitaries from the co-sponsors of the run; Stanbic, UEDCL, National Forest Authority, Minister of Water and the Environment, Total, Toyota, New Vision, Citi Bank, the Hashers, Uganda police, and Liberty Insurance.

Vision Group CEO Robert Kabushenga carried the baton for the first 10kms before he passed it on to Chemongesi Seiko at Total Maganjo before the Hashers took turns in exchanging it at every 10km stop along the route.

They covered 240km on Friday before completing 90kms on Saturday.