President Yoweri Museveni Kaguta Professor Bukenya Balibasseka Professor Nsibambi Apollo Dr. Kibirige Ssebunya Hon. Mutagambwa Miria Hon. Omar Atubo Hon. Kibirige Ssebunya Hon. Jessica Eriyo Hon. Jennifer Namuyangu
Drying Rivers, Mutilated Hills Buganda and Baganda get prepared to died of starvation. If you want to fully grasp the intent of this article please acquaint yourself first, with what happens in the eastern lift valley in Kenya. Why is it so dry? Why doesnt it receive huge amounts of rainfall? Those more scientifically inclined and would like to educated themselves on effects of human activities (Anthropogenic Mechanisms) in their local environments (Bio- Morphologies) please refer to the article at this link; http://w1.193.comhem.se/~u19317440/bild/Biology.rtf The paper offers an insight into human activities in unconscious or indirect self-annihilation. So destroy what you have and the consequence will be more devastating. Indeed many Africans are regurgitating commercialisation of agricultural, hybrid farming and so on, as if it is given root to heaven, it is not. Let me go straight to the issue. Agriculture Good, its happening in our lifetime. Rivers are drying up in the entire country, as the programme for modernisation of agriculture and national agricultural advisory services takes root. Uganda must abandon extensive commercialised agricultural prospects; its simply not suitable and sustainable in Uganda for two reasons; 1. Unique ecological mosaic that Uganda is. 2. Labour economics demands. Uganda has two climatic influences the micro and macro (global) but micro climatic influences are more noticeable and crucial to our environment, ecology and human temperament. How do you create employment for the working people, by extensive commercialisation? Moreover, developed nations are quickly abandoning extensive commercial agriculture and farming, Uganda government is foolishly embracing. Today the European parliament has set new rule for animal and crop farming. Uganda is moving in the opposite direction. Climate Uganda is not affected much by continental and global climatic factors. Uganda is rather a unique block of land, in the African interior. And it is exactly for this reason, Ugandans must be extremely careful, when they use their land anyhow. There are to types of climatic formations; micro and macroclimates. In a sentence, one can logically conclude, Uganda is far more affected with microclimatic factors rather than macroclimates. This fact is due to the; a. Distance from coasts (east and west), b. Relief and futures (rwenzori, western high lands, East, Western rift valleys) that form Ugandas landmass against continental and global influences. c. On the eastern , northern and southern fronts Uganda is boarded with massive land bodies, the size of Europe and more. Sudan and Congo (drc) are huge landmasses. If you follow then weather patterns, and forecasts on any of the international television channels youll realise this fact. Most rainfall into Uganda is either a formation of local factors or wind movements eastwards over the Congo forests. Since western Uganda is boarded with a massive land body Congo and is hilly, it is therefore logical, sufficient rainfall laden clouds, dont reach far into the middle of Uganda as the case is with Northern Uganda. The above leaves us with one option that generates a lot of water, namely local factors. These factors are the heights of hills that provide cooler climates and vegetation cover like forest that enables formation of rainfall through limited hydrological processes i.e. condensation and plant transpiration. Plants produce a lot of water bye the way as well as evaporation from Gods massive water bodies; the Kyoga, Albert, Victorian etc. Uganda therefore is endowed with a unique microclimatic formation. Indeed, Ugandas western mountainous hydrological systems are phenomenon and quite typical in Peru Mountains. The habitants in Peru for example, use simple hundreds meters of polythene bags, hanging on wires, extended over a long space, to generate a lot of water for; irrigation, domestic use and power generation from due and mist. The same technique, therefore will be the state of technology to produce clean and pure water in the entire mountainous north eastern, western and south western Uganda. Kazibwes valley dams, people dont see with their eyes, will be clearly visible then. What has happened? The Bakiga in western Uganda, have mutilated the entire hills and swept them clean of all alpine trees and instead planted; sweet potatoes (ebitakuri), millet (oburo), beans (ebihimbo) everywhere. It is a catastrophe of gigantic proportions, with devastating implications well realise sooner than latter. I really cant understand why President Museveni, unscientifically imposes restrictions on the national forest authority (NPA) and national environmental management authority (NEMA). As a scientist of national and international repute, an environmentalist and partly a geographer, I strongly object to such crude scientific, use of land. Ill therefore request the NRM government to immediately look for some 20 billion shillings for a start and do the following; a. Put a limit to how much LAND CAN BE CULTIVATED UPHILL in the entire region between Masaka, Mbarara, Kasese and Kabale to Kisoro. b. Wetlands should be left to regenerate, and create cover for water resources. c. Replant (re-afforestation) trees on all the hills in the entire region between Masaka, Mbarara, Kasese, Kabale to Kisoro. This should be done immediately, whether the resources are there or not else borrow money. d. To absorb population growth in the region, urbanise. But where is the population pressure in the region in the first place? With immediate effect all trading centres in the entire region between Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale to Kisoro should be re-developed into major planned towns guided with internal job generation. (Contact bwanika the consultant on this issue; services are paid for at international rates www.idrconsulting.com ) e. Hydrological studies should be made (natural springs, aquifers) and all water sources be protected from further overexploitation. f. Move away from current agricultural practices to traditional small intensive agriculture, eco-tourism, botany and zoological activities. g. Set up co-operative activities guided by urban planning consumption patterns. (Contact bwanika the consultant on this issue, services are paid for) Buruli Hoima Subregion Nakasongola not far away from western Uganda there is a semi-desert as the case is in Bunyoro. In this region it can take a full year without raining and not a single African government has done anything to remedy the conditions prevailing here! They have eyes but see nothing. Yet the possibilities are many, as the case is in Karamoja. Has major river and stream system been dammed, gazetted and afforested likewise underground water resources established and protected a problem will become a solution. NRM dig valley dams A scenario that is more likely to emerge all over Uganda and that has probably already taken place in some areas lest my advice is not heeded, is based on the following factors. a. As more hills are circumcised and mutilated there will be less water formation. b. Wetlands will dry up leading to major water bodies low water levels and total destruction of cattle farming, fish stocks and marine ecology. c. Desert formations are emerging in low-lying regions of this country subsequently. d. Major agricultural areas will decline in production. e. Movement of huge population into trading centres will disrupt social organisation as the case is today. f. Escalation of crime, poverty and misery has already occurred. The landmass between Kampala and Kisoro has two massive flat plains, which were colossal gorges as land mass subsided. The region between Kampala and Masaka has a plain were Katogo river drains. It is a massive plain where some of its water directly comes from the surrounding forests and hills around. Exactly the same factors rule between Masaka and Mbarara were we have a massive plain where Lake Mburo National park is located through lake Kijanebalola into Kagera gorge and national park in Tanzania. The gap between Mbarara and Kabale is the boarding hills as that case is with Kampala hills demarcating Mpigi from Luwero on the other side. Basically Luwero into Nakasongola is a massive flat plain extending into Bunyoro northwards. What has stopped Nakasongola from becoming totally dry, are the forest covers in the central region especially extending to Mubende, regions adjacent to Nakasongola. They allow hydrological system to provide constant water into the region through precipitation, condensation etc. Secondarily Lake Kyoga is a blessing low the water levels and calamity will hit an African as never before. Lastly and on the above note, President Museveni Yoweri Kaguta, should be advised to withdraw his decrees against NFA and NEMA made in March 2006. Instead, direct NFA to strengthen its laws and immediately re-afforest the entire hills in western Uganda. NEMA should be directed to implement the environmental law without fear or favour, everywhere into the country and a standby police force be instituted to support NFA and NEMA efforts. Bwanika Nakyesawa Luwero. Bwanika ________ http://www.idrconsulting.com --> for your consultancy needs _______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list [email protected] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ---------------------------------------
