Govt to restore Nyamirembe wetland in Bushenyi

Government has embarked on efforts to save the Nyamirembe wetland in Bushenyi District.

The wetland is expected to be restored in the ongoing 2017-2025 project, Building Resilient communities Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda through wetland restoration

In restoring Nyamirembe, government seeks to enhance the resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate change impacts through wetland.

"We aim at providing alternative sustainable livelihood options to people who have been using this wetland in an illegal way," said Bushenyi District senior government environment officer, Mr Vincent Kataate.

Monitor understands that the initiative is funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and was started in a stakeholders meeting facilitated by the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Leaders and locals are set to be sensitized on the need to restore Nyamirembe wetland as a critical water source for Bushenyi communities.

As restoration takes shape, the project is already threatened by challenges including the struggle to change community mindsets towards conservation, inadequate funding, and corruption.

"There is selective application of the law and a lot of corruption where the law becomes weak of rich people but gains momentum when it’s the poor people. If we are to implement the law, let us be uniform," said Mr Gamba Abel, the Kizinda Town district councilor.

According to Mr Charles Mwesigwa, the district Environment Officer, the project is likely to suffer inadequate funding.

"There is a low sustainability aspect. Sometimes the project begins and later, there are no funds to complete or sustain it and we find ourselves incapacitated,” he said.

He added: “We have a problem of stubborn encroachers who are sensitized but still go back the next day. Also, we don't have enough money. Our sector is grossly underfunded.”

The Nyamirembe wetland restoration plan includes actions that will increase access to land for both residents to engage in income generating agro-based activities sustainably.

The plan also includes actions to promote both cash and food crop production by both men and women.