KAMPALA – Different parts of the Uganda are currently faced with waves of floods as a result of continued environmental degradation.
Over the past years, man has degraded the environment through massive cutting of trees and destruction of swamps.The forests are being cut down for timber and charcoal yet they are very strategic in holding up water. The great swamps of Lubigi in Wakiso District were put to another usage for water and sewarage infrastructure.This is causing excessive flooding in Kawempe and Bwaise areas.
Resettlements in swamplands and other human activities are primarily responsible for the floods around Kampala.
The giant swamplands of Lwera along Kampala Masaka road are not spared either.They are being damaged by those extracting sand for building.
As a result, roads, bridges are being washed away especially in places of Kasese, Busoga and Teso. Buildings like Schools, Hospitals and People’s houses have been damaged heavily across the country. It is more critical in Kasese, where Kilembe hospital, a number of people’s houses by reports and visual coverage are submerged in water.
All our natural water bodies; lakes and rivers are experiencing increased water levels. This is making water transport very difficult as most landing sites are getting submerged.Those who built near the shores of the lakes and river banks are in constant fear of being over-ran by floods. Some are already relocating to other places that even lack basic facilities.
Besides all this, there is also a danger of waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid since most of our pit latrines are in areas that are flooded, which needs urgent attention by all stakeholders in order to avoid the outbreak of such deadly diseases in the wake of COVID-19 Pandemic.
As Uganda experiences a big challenge of heavy rains coupled with floods across the country, that are negatively affecting human activities, Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) has made an urgent appeal to the Government to restore all our natural catchment areas like swamplands across the country as it is our best hope.
More to that, UPC had made efforts to call upon authorities and well wishers, to come to the rescue of those displaced and affected by floods.
“Normal life in such places is at standstill. UPC sympathizes with the affected families and calls upon concerned authorities and all people of good will to come to their rescue,” UPC stated in a press release issued on Wednesday,May 13.
Therefore if these environmental issues are fixed and solved, our environment and livelihood will be improved including the performance of our economy which is influenced by the environment.
