Wetland preservation must be given priority

Most of Uganda’s wetland is being lost to farmers, industrialist’s brick layers and real estate developers.

I commend the Ministry of Water and Environment for honouring the World Wetlands Day. February 2 is a day set apart by a number of countries who realised the importance of wetlands for the survival of humankind and the environment 42 years ago. The commemoration of this day by Uganda was long overdue given the poor state of our environment.
Most of Uganda’s wetland is being lost to farmers, industrialist’s brick layers and real estate developers. This is the major cause of floods in the country, yet the convention on wetlands provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Kampala suburbs of Luzira, Kireka, Kirombe and Ggaba suffer widespread encroachment of swamps. This situation could be averted if the law is tightly enforced to, for instance, preserve the Crested Crane as their habitat is being taken over by so-called developers. Why do the farmers set fire in such areas, thereby killing birds, and industrialists dumping their waste in wetlands? This is dangerous to the flora and fauna. The earlier we deal with this the better for Ugandans.
Irene Ayikoru,
Kampala