Launched ahead of the World Cities’ Day 2020, marked today, the reports puts Kampala on the list of 100 other cities that are expected to suffer the greatest rise in water risk problems by 2050. The risks include flooding, drowning, prolonged hot seasons and water scarcity, among others.
The Bamba-Babwisi people occupied about 125 square kilometres of land covering areas near the Saara stream to River Semuliki through River Lamia to the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Some of them settled in areas within Bwamba county within Bundibugyo district.
Maliba sub-county is one of those that has remarkably been affected with more than 200 residents displaced by mudslides while most access routes have been cut-off.
But even mobile assets were not spared, among these five boda boda motorcycles whose owners had taken shelter only for the fast-flowing mud to sweep their bikes away.
However, according to officials from the Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA in Moyo, the workers are compacting gravel at the Laropi docking pier to control the water and create a safer landing for the ferry.
Twaweza’s Sauti Za Wanainchi survey says while access to pipped water has increased across the country, women and girls in rural areas still take more time to access water points.
Half of households (54%) take half an hour or more to collect their drinking water, including time
spent traveling and time spent waiting. For one out of twenty households (5%), this takes over
two hours. A similar proportion (46%) however spend less than 30 minutes collecting their water.
James Lutaaya, one of the residents, says they want the government to deduct the 5 acres of land required for the construction of the school from the forest reserve.
The National Forestry Authority and Uganda Wildlife Authority will lead implementation of the project aimed at improving monitoring and securing forest and protected areas and community livelihoods in selected areas within the Albertine region.
The experts says although factors like change in sea surface at the Indian Ocean and the Pacific cause could lead to heavy rainfall, human behavior like encroaching on wetlands and dumping waste in drainage channels have exacerbated the flooding situation.
According to UNRA Six billion shillings has been set aside to purchase the four metallic portable bridges within the next nine months. They are metallic, 40-meter-long portable bridges that are adjustable and relocated to areas with emergencies.
The affected parishes are well known for the production of milk and bananas that are majorly consumed by town people in Kebisoni, Buyanja and Rukungiri town. The half kilometer bridge connects Bwega parish to Burora parish in Nyarushanje sub- County as well Burora to Bunono parishes in the same sub- county.
Swalleh Matovu Kakeeto, the Kawongo LC I Chairperson, says 200 people have relocated to unknown destinations and those remaining are starving after losing all their crops.
Bernard Byakagaba, the UNRA Engineer for Gulu station says though the floodwaters receded without cutting off the roads again, UNRA teams have set out to assess the threat and devise a permanent solution which will involve installing more culverts and open more channels to allow free flow of water
Pascal Wanyala, the Lusagali Parish LC III Councillor, says the affected residents have taken refuge in churches, schools and homes of their relatives.
The study – the first-ever of its kind – found that some 14 million used cars, vans and minibuses were exported worldwide from Europe, the United States and Japan between 2015 and 2018. Around 80 per cent, went to low and middle-income countries, with more than half going to Africa.
The European Union has pledged to provide Parliament with an updated satellite image showing how the forest covers in the country is depleted day by day.
