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.

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.

During the inspection, it was evident that the water system, overseen by Kotido DLG, aimed to provide safe water to an estimated 12,000 Households spread across five villages. This initiative marked a significant milestone in ensuring access to clean and safe water for communities in the area.

Relatedly; to enhance sanitation and hygiene practices, the District initiated five villages that previously lacked adequate latrine or handwashing facilities. Following an intensive four-month campaign, remarkable progress was observed, with latrine coverage and handwashing facilities increasing from 0% to 95%.

However, despite these achievements, it was noted that full coverage had not yet been attained. Consequently, five villages were not declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) until every household was accounted for.

This year’s recipients of the IWA Water and Development Awards are Dr Veena Srinivasan for Research, and Dr Doulaye Kone for Practice.

The awards recognized excellence, leadership and innovation in the water sector, and aimed to encourage the sustainable management of water in low- and middle-income countries. The awards were judged by a diverse panel of experts and winners were awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to research or practice that have led to demonstrable impact in low- and middle-income countries.

In deciding to recognise the achievements of Dr Veena Srinivasan, the judges noted that she demonstrated bravery and passion in her quest to follow an emerging but much-needed knowledge path in socio-hydrology, but also through advocacy for research and the establishment of WELL Labs in Bengaluru, India.

Upon receiving the award, Dr Srinivasan expressed her gratitude saying: “Being nominated for this award is such an honour and I’m very grateful. I am proud that my work has been recognised for laying the foundations of socio-hydrology as a discipline. My focus on analysing data and triangulation across datasets represents a significant departure from traditional water resources management methods and has raised awareness on what kind of science is needed to solve India’s water crisis.”

Presenting the award for practice to Doulaye, the judges highlighted that his career was instrumental in kicking off a paradigm shift across the water and sanitation sector. His vision has catalysed technological innovations in non-sewered sanitation through the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, and brought new ways of approaching the sustainability of faecal sludge management at scale. Some of Doulaye’s pioneering work has influenced policy and strategies in the sector, such as the importance of linking market approaches with service provision.

Doulaye further highlighted the impact of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge to spur circular innovation in toilet and sanitation technology, adding that: “I convinced the Gates Foundation to initiate the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge to generate innovative solutions that can protect against human waste-borne pathogens and deliver a truly 21st century inclusive sanitation solution that reach the poorest communities. This type of climate-resilient sanitation innovation, when combined with proper infrastructure and national action, will enhance public health, foster better gender equality outcomes, and reduce communities’ dependence on water amidst a changing world.”

Paramount Chief of Acholi,  David Onen Acana II, attributed the failure to produce enough food to climate-related factors, emphasizing the need for sustainable land use practices. Dr. Angela Nakaseero, Commissioner in charge of Gender and Women Affairs at the Ministry of Gender and Social Development, urged leaders to approach the issue through a climate action lens. She emphasized the role of sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems in mitigating the impacts of climate change, urging the community to embrace eco-friendly practices to ensure a food-secure future.