For the last 10 years the border town  with a population of over 14,000 has been operating without a landfill and proper garbage management system.

This has since forced the residents in  the area to indiscriminately dump waste in the wetlands, bushes, corridors and along the road side exposing the community to deadly diseases like dysentery and cholera among others

Kule Kasim, the Local Council One chairperson Lorikwo West Cell, has blamed Amuru District Local government for failing  to set up a proper solid waste management system, something he says is exposing them to deadly diseases.

According to Kule, the hygiene situation is worrying and no leader is bothered about the plight of the community saying  with the return of rains  the area is most likely to be struck by malaria and cholera.

Micheal Lakony, the Amuru District LCV chairperson, has admitted the problem blaming it on the inadequate funds, environmental degradation and poor waste disposal culture among the community.

He however, said his office has raised concern with the Ministry of Local government and finance for support to help address the issues of poor garbage management.

Patrick Lamot, a Public Health Expert working for the Ministry of Health and Attached to Elegu Border Post, said the lack of proper waste management system has exposed the communities to diseases like typhoid and dysentery.

According to Lamot, their health facility is currently overwhelmed with cases of typhoid and dysentery coming as results of hygiene.

He said they have now embarked on community sensitization to improve waste management as they await a long term waste management project from the government to address the problem.

Poor waste management, ranging from non-existing collection systems to ineffective disposal, causes air pollution, water contamination, and soil contamination. Open and unsanitary landfills contribute to the contamination of drinking water and can cause infection and transmit diseases.

A World Bank Poor Sanitation Programme report released in 2012 indicates that poor sanitation costs Uganda at least Shs389 billion annually.

The money lost in three years can meet the cost of improving hygiene facilities in the country, which stands at UGX 1.3 trillion.

Caption: Piles of plastic waste in Elegu Town Council.

According to Moses Byaruhanga, District Natural Resource Officer (DNRO) Kitagwenda, Nyakabale wetland is about six kilometers long with a number of tributaries connecting to Kikweyo wetland which forms the Rwambu wetland system.

It also serves as a water catchment area for five water sources which serves about 7 villages.

Byaruhanga said that the way Nyakabale wetland is being rapidly encroached poses a risk of having no more water in the area in future if it is not protected.

He noted that the National Environment Act 2019 gives local governments a mandate to manage and protect wetlands in their jurisdiction.

“The national environment Act 2019 gives local governments including districts a mandate to manage the wetlands within their jurisdiction,” Byaruhanga said

He added that the exercise started with a community engagement to sensitize the people about the need to restore wetlands.

“Our campaign started by creating awareness and showing the people especially those neighboring the wetlands the boundaries where the demarcations will pass and also showing them why we need to restore the wetland,” Byaruhanga explained

Byaruhanga further said that they will record coordinates to fast track the people who will vandalize the concrete pillars for easy monitoring and management of wetlands.

“Wherever we plant a pillar, we are having coordinates on record, later we shall generate a map whether you remove a pillar we can still relocate that point,” He said

The District Natural Resource Officer warned the public that whoever is caught removing the demarcation pillars, he or she will be dealt with according to the law saying that wetlands are now gazetted areas in Uganda.

Initially, wetlands were not in the gazette but in 2023, all wetlands in Uganda were gazetted and now we have a legal instrument (notice number 14 of 2023) that guarantees us a legal process. Now if you commit an environmental offence, we can now prosecute you because wetlands are now protected areas where you should not encroach.” Byaruhanga emphasised

Anthony Kalyegira, Senior Environment Officer Kitagwenda said that the district still lacks about1000 concrete pillars to demarcate all the wetlands in the district.

He therefore appealed to the central government and people in the private sector foundation to join the campaign of demarcating wetlands in the area.

“As Kitagwenda district we are trying to lobby 1000 pillars from the government and private sector to ensure that all the 46 wetlands in Kitagwenda district are fully protected. And we hope with the demarcation of concrete pillars we shall recover and restore the degrade wetlands” Kalyegira explained

Currently, the degradation rate in Kitagwenda stands at 21.56 percent with a total of over 2000 hectares of wetlands encroached in the district.

“As Kitagwenda we are experiencing degradation rate of 21.56% whereby we are losing close to 2658 hectares of wetlands.” Kalyegira said

He said that Kitagwenda district has a total of about 46 wetlands that include Nyakabale, Kanunka, Ruhagura, and Kyarutanga among others.

The Kitagwenda Vice Chairman, Peter Ashaba rallied the political leaders and stakeholders to sensitise the masses about the benefits and protection of ecosystems in the district.

“On the campaign of protecting wetlands and the environment we must come out and sensitise the public about the importance of wetlands and protecting them and as leaders let us always be the leading examples in protecting our environment such that other people can learn from us,” Ashaba said

In 2022, Kitagwenda district in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment, demarcated about 34 kilometres of Kyarutanga, Kanunka, Ruhagura wetlands which form Rwambu and Mpanga rivers as part of the ecosystems in the district that were affected by human activities such as cultivation, brick making and planting of eucalyptus trees among others.

Empowering Women in Conservation

This year’s marathon carries a powerful theme: “Women are Stewards in Sustainable Utilization of Water and Environmental Resources Empowering the Girl Child in Conservation.” Seith Murari, Chairman of Abahumuza Development Group, emphasized the critical role women and girls play in environmental stewardship. “We challenge women and girls to come in large numbers and join the marathon, reinforcing their vital role in conservation efforts,” Murari stated.

Community Engagement and Achievements

Since the first marathon, community perception and behavior towards environmental conservation have significantly improved. Abahumuza Development Group has undertaken several initiatives, including planting trees in areas like Rwanyampazi, Kihumuro, and Bishop Stuart University, and restoring swamps such as Rwemigina wetland. These efforts have led to an increase in River Rwizi’s water levels during the dry season, a positive indicator of the project’s impact.

“Our observation is that in 2023, River Rwizi’s water level increased to 2.742 cubic meters during the dry season, something that never happened before,” Murari noted. “If we continue our efforts, we can fully restore the river.”

Addressing Wetland Encroachment

However, River Rwizi faces significant threats from illegal activities such as uncontrolled sand mining, brick laying, and waste disposal. Murari appealed to the public and various stakeholders to join the campaign, emphasizing that protecting River Rwizi is a collective responsibility. “We need affirmative action from individuals, corporate companies, organizations, and local leaders,” he said.

Mirro Suleiman, Project Manager at Abahumuza Development Group, highlighted the marathon’s goal to mobilize funds for conservation activities, including tree planting and reducing plastic waste disposal. “We run to show the region’s people the importance of River Rwizi and to fund activities that enhance its protection,” Suleiman explained.

Challenges in Enforcement and Government Response

Despite the group’s efforts, enforcement remains a challenge. Fred Bagonza, regional National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) officer for the southwestern region, cited staffing shortages as a significant hurdle. “We are few compared to the workload, managing an area that spans 30 districts,” Bagonza said. He urged the government to increase staffing to effectively combat environmental violations.

SP Thomas Kamusiime, Rwizi Regional Community Liaison Officer, called for sustainable solutions for communities relying on River Rwizi. “We need permanent, friendly solutions for those dependent on the river,” Kamusiime emphasized, urging the Ministry of Water to extend conservation campaigns to all districts in the river’s catchment area.

Restoration Efforts in Rucece Wetland

In a related initiative, Mbarara City has launched a campaign to restore over 4,000 hectares of the degraded Rucece wetland. David Sancho, the City Natural Resource Officer, reported that nearly half of the 9,000-hectare wetland has been lost to encroachment. “We are working to recover 4,000 hectares that locals have backfilled with soil, planted with eucalyptus trees, and used for construction,” Sancho said. This restoration aligns with a Presidential directive to evict wetland encroachers across Uganda.

Sancho highlighted the need for adequate funding to implement restoration and provide alternative livelihoods for encroachers. “Restoring wetlands requires significant financial resources,” he said, urging the central government to support these efforts.
Edgar Nabaasa, Mbarara City South Division Environment Officer, added that early sensitization and eviction notices were issued to encroachers. “We engaged the community and gave ample notice to remove illegal crops and structures,” Nabaasa explained.

Looking Forward

Robert Kanusu, Deputy Resident City Commissioner of Mbarara City North Division, reiterated the government’s commitment to evict encroachers and educate the public on wetland conservation. “We will continue to guide people on the importance of protecting our wetlands,” he said.

The launch coincided with the seating of the Loss and Damage board committee meeting in Dubai to discuss ways forward on following up on financial commitments made during the Conference of parties in Dubai last year.

In December last year during the COP 28 event in Dubai, Uganda sent a delegation of over 600 officials to negotiate and follow proceedings .H.E Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, the representative of the UAE government, in his address highlighted support for responsible trade and technology transfer as integral components of Uganda’s fight against climate change.

Mr. Xavier Ejoyi -the Country Director for Action aid International Uganda says what is going unnoticed is industrial agriculture, which relies on the large-scale destruction of biomass and the ecosystem. It is the second biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. He added that Over 460 billion dollars from banks and other financiers goes to funding fossil fuel-related investments which are the leading contributors to greenhouse gases.

According to  Ms. Sheily Apiny the northern regional coordinator at Action aid International, climate crisis poses an existential threat to our planet, disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities, including children, young people, and women. She called for countries that emit the highest percentages of carbon emissions to pay their fair share to support combating the climate crisis.

She stated that Last year, ActionAid launched the Fund Our Future campaign, a global campaign calling for financiers to shift funding from climate destructive activities and false climate solutions and redirect them towards investments in renewable energy and agroecological solutions.

COP28 facilitated a historic agreement to operationalize and capitalize funding for Loss and Damage, committing $726 million to support those most affected by the climate crisis, and Uganda .Experts say that if shared ,Uganda could get up 51 million Dollars ,to support those most affected by impact of climate change.

Other commitments include;
Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund Replenishments
$3.5 billion pledged to replenish the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
$133.6 million pledged towards the Adaptation Fund.
$129.3 million pledged towards the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDC).
$31 million pledged to the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).

ALTÉRRA Catalytic Fund Launch
The UAE launched ALTÉRRA, a $30 billion catalytic fund to drive positive climate action, with a global mobilization target of $250 billion.

World Bank Commitment
The World Bank committed to an annual increase of $9 billion for 2024 and 2025 to finance climate-related projects.

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) Commitment:
MDBs collectively pledged a cumulative increase of over $22.6 billion towards climate action.

Pledges and Declarations
The COP28 has witnessed the endorsement of 11 pledges and declarations, garnering historic support from countries and organizations worldwide. Notable endorsements include:
Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge endorsed by 124 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Agriculture, Food, & Climate endorsed by 142 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health endorsed by 133 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate Relief, Recovery & Peace endorsed by 75 countries and 40 organizations.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate Finance endorsed by 13 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Hydrogen and Derivates endorsed by 37 countries.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Gender-Responsive Just Transitions endorsed by 74 countries.
Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) Pledge endorsed by 65 countries.
Global Cooling Pledge endorsed by 64 countries.
Oil and Gas Decarburization Charter endorsed by 52 companies, representing 40 percent of global oil production.
Industrial Transition Accelerator endorsed by 35 companies and six industry associations.

According to Irene Atuhairwe Duhaga, Country Director, Seed Global Health, the five year MUST partnership will expire in June 2024 and immediately a new collaboration will be signed to extend emergency care education and practise with both the university and the hospital. “MUST is one of our biggest partners since 2013, and we are happy that we are continuing to work with you in the next 6 years” Atuhairwe said She added that “one of the objectives for the courtesy visit is to introduce to you Martin from Malawi who is our new director in charge of impact and innovation, and secondly it is to shade more light on what the next phase of the partnership will be as we are coming to the end of the current strategy plan for this year”.

Unlike the previous 5 year strategy, Atuhairwe stipulated that the new collaboration will be increased to 6 years to enable the two entities conclude some of the projects that were interrupted by Covid19 pandemic. “The initial plan was for a 5 year development plan but now we are going to do a 6 year partnership strategy which will be launched in June 2024. And the reason for a 6 year is that internally we want to use the bridging year to take stock of what happened but also develop ourselves internally in terms of capacity building to be able to support partnerships not only here in Uganda but across the 4 countries we are working in” she explained According to Atuhairwe, the new strategy will focus on emergency care and maternal health to save mothers’ lives during labour.“We want to focus on a new strategy than the initial component where we have done a lot on academia and putting up a faculty department that is running now we want to see it ringing an impact,” she said.

Martin Msukwa, Managing Director impact and innovation, Seed Global Health, retaliated that seed global health will emphasize the three pillars of education, practice and policy for the next 6 years. “Much as we want to ensure clinical practice, but we are still going to focus on three pillars that is education, practice and policies and we shall use the bottom-up approach where I am happy that Uganda is leading.” Msukwa said

He emphasised that trainers in emergency medicine will have to be absorbed in the system to be able to directly support the health sector strategic plans and human resource strategic plans in developing countries rather than going on the streets to look for jobs. “We really want to make sure that people who are getting trained and improving in clinical practice are absorbed in the system whether with the government or even those in private practice. And it is not only in Uganda but in other countries that we are supporting such as Malawi and Zambia” Msukwa explained

He added that “We are making a deliberate move to make sure that for the coming 5 years our partners should be country led and also be able to give us guidance on what to work on”.“As seed global we are also moving forward to make sure that whatever we are doing is country led. We want to make sure that our partners we work with should drive the agenda.” Msukwa said

Dr. Prisca Mary Kizito, Head of department, Emergency Medicine Physician and Lecturer at Mbarara University of Science and Technology appealed to seed global to continue supporting clinical medicine as a future investment to reverse avoidable material deaths that arise due to lack of skills. “Seed global started collaborating with MUST in 2013 and we are happy that the vision that we started 5 years ago we are now registering progress in emergency medicine specialty, training in clinical care and advocacy, adding that, for example we started the emergency specialty in 2017 with only 5 residents, but today we are having 14 living and very functional residents who have all graduated over the past four years because of the continuous from seed global health” Kizito explained

She added that “For years MUST has always struggled with space but today at least we have enough space and thanks to seed global”. “We started from a small tea room in 2017 which was also a lecture room but seed suggested that emergency medicine deserves better attention and better care whereby they supplied us with computers, tables and chairs thus shifting from that small room to a bigger space where we are currently operating from” Kizito implored

Prof. Joseph Ngonzi, Dean Faculty medicine, MUST, appreciated seed global partnership that has changed the face of medicine as a core course at Mbarara University. “We don’t take our engagement with you for granted, you have made great strides towards emergency medicine and even in other areas regarding to trainings, clinical care, staff support because must initially did not have any physician in emergency medicine” Ngonzi said He confirmed that together with MRRH, they will be excited to co-sign the MOU with Seed Global health to help to strengthen the support to amplify emergency medicine both in the university and the hospital.

“Of course without the referral, we would not be having a primary teaching hospital unless we search elsewhere so we shall continue working together in signing the new deal to co-exist,” Ngonzi said .He further asked seed global health to support the university in other areas which are instrumental such as neonatal component and clinical care in terms of education, mentorship and research.“Seed global picked us from somewhere and I can now see that the journey is well defined. We pray that the next 6 years’ journey will be with a clear roadmap.” Ngonzi said

Prof. Nickson Kamukama, Acting Vice Chancellor, MUST, urged Ugandans to embrace internationalization to help to solve societal challenges. “Internationalization is the way to go that is why we are now registering results in emergency medicine” he said adding that, we have a tendency of promoting inbreeding which is not helping us. Let’s go beyond the boundaries of Uganda and Africa to work together to get solutions for our societal challenges” Kamukama explained Seed Global Health Uganda is a non-government organization that partners to train nurses, midwives, and physicians, building complete health teams that can provide high-quality care and save lives.

The MUST-MRRH-SEED interdisciplinary collaboration started in 2013 where they have so far received ultrasound equipment, training and capacity building as part of life saving intervention on trauma, maternal health and emergency cases.