Govt warns of flooding in lakes, rivers

The National Forest Authority (NFA) and the Ministry of Water and Environment, have warned people living in the lowlands on the shores of river banks and lakes to vacate as a precaution against drowning given that water levels are steadily rising due to ongoing rains.

Mr Issa Katwesigye, the assistant commissioner of Planning at the Ministry of Water and Environment, said as of last week, the ministry registered the highest water levels ever recorded on Lake Victoria. 

He explained that neighbouring countries like Kenya have been receiving heavy rains lately, which have greatly contributed to the rising of Lake Victoria levels.

The lake is shared by East African countries, including Uganda. 

“About the encroachment on the lake buffer zone, the law has been very clear on how close we should be. Sorry to be the bearer of the bad news, it is just the beginning of the lake level to rise because it will continue.  About last week, it already reached the highest it has ever been and yet it is still raining in the rest of the Lake Victoria basin,” Mr Katwesigye said.

He further explained that as a country, Uganda is disadvantaged because it is located at the downstream end of Lake Victoria basin and all the rain from Burundi Rwanda Tanzania, and Kenya, flow into Lake Victoria. 

He said the law requires people to observe 200 metre buffer zone from the lake.

Yesterday, NCBA Bank, the ministry, and the National Forestry Authority signed a memorandum of understanding to plant 20,000 trees at the degraded Jubia Forest in Masaka District. 

Mr Mark Muyobo, the chief executive officer of NCBA Bank, said the initiative is part of their environment and social governance programme that reduces carbon footprints.

Asked why charcoal trade has persisted despite President Museveni banning it last year, Mr Tom Obong Okello, the executive director of the National Forestry Authority, said they have registered a significant reduction in charcoal trade and the cutting down of trees. 

He, however,  didn’t provide figures indicating a decline in the illegal trade.

Mr Okello added that the closing of Karuma Bridge is another added blessing to them because the Uganda Wild Life Authority cannot allow charcoal to be transported through the national park.

He explained that most of the deforestation happening now is taking place on private land where the owners had many objectives for planting the trees. 

Commenting about the flooding of Lake Victoria, he said in the forestry sector, they have observed worrying climatic changes such as the global failure of Pine trees to flower last year in Australia, Brazil, and Uganda. 

He added that early this year, he was surprised that Murchison Falls registered temperatures of 41 degrees and Packwach registered 45 degrees saying this is very strange for Uganda’s climatic conditions.

“I have also been told to tell people living in low-lying areas of river basins to vacate. If it can flood in Dubai what about Uganda? When it rains in Mt Rwenzori, water does not come in one day but the following day it will reach Kasese [District] when it is raging. I have never seen floods in Kenya. The warning signs have been released,” he said.

Mr Okello further explained that the floods could even be worse, especially if they submerge the electricity turbines and affect electricity generation.