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The submerged Kyankoole landing site in Buyende district
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By Our Reporter
Communities in Buyende district, located on the shores of Lake Kyoga, are the latest victims of the growing impacts of climate change, as floods have displaced over 800 households, ravaged crop fields, and overrun vital landing sites. The ongoing four-month flooding has raised fears of imminent food shortages, the spread of water-borne diseases, and worsening poverty in fishing communities. These hardships are compounded by the government's ongoing ban on mukene (silverfish) fishing, which has been in place for seven months.
The submerged Kyankoole landing site in Buyende district
Michael Kanaku, Buyende LC5 chairperson, explained that the rising water levels have submerged homes and rendered key roads impassable. “The raised water levels have submerged homesteads and flooded roads that connect major routes in the district,” Kanaku said.
A survey by the Buyende district production office revealed that the floods have affected 850 households and destroyed 1,547 acres of food crops, including maize, sweet potatoes, and cassava.
“The floods have washed away sections of the 2.5km road through the Wakukuuta Wetland, which connects the sub-counties of Kagulu, Irundu, and Irundu town council to the district headquarters,” Kanaku added. The district had previously invested UGX 2.5 billion to repair the road, now rendered unusable.
As a result, travelers are resorting to small boats and canoes to cross the flooded areas or using the alternative, longer 20km route via Kitukiro-Bulangira-Butaasa to reach the district headquarters. Those from the western sub-counties of Namusita, Ndolwa, and Buyende town council also face detours as they navigate flooded areas, particularly the Ddongi Wetland.
Travelers board a boat to cross the flooded Wakukuuta wetland in Buyende district
Rebecca Namuddu, Buyende's District Environment Officer, attributes the phenomenon to the effects of climate change, which has caused extreme weather conditions across East Africa. “The floods continue to spread despite the subsiding heavy rains,” Namuddu warned, highlighting the ongoing danger.
In response to the flooding, new landing sites at Itanhinhi and Igoola have been established with boats and canoes now ferrying travelers. Charges include UGX 100 per person, UGX 1,000 for cargo, and UGX 2,000 per motorcycle. However, concerns are growing as there are no provisions for life jackets, putting lives at risk.
The floods have also affected key infrastructure managed by the Uganda National Roads Authority, including a 1.5km section of the Namulanda Wetland road connecting Nkondo to Kidera sub-county.
Veronica Babirye Kadogo, East African Legislative Assembly legislator, expressed concern over the risks posed to pregnant women who must navigate the longer, more difficult routes. “The lives of women in labor are in jeopardy, with delays along these routes posing significant health risks,” Kadogo emphasized.
An elderly woman sits despondently near her collapsed hut, a victim of harsh weather conditions, at Budipa Landing Site in Buyende District
Worst-hit areas
The most affected areas in the greater Kagulu sub-county include the parishes of Nkoone, Kabukye, and Bumogoli. Western communities such as Kigingi, Kasongoire, Kibaale, Kyankoole, Bulembo, Namulanda, and Kiiga are also struggling to cope with the floods.
Human activities to blame
Experts blame human activity for exacerbating the effects of climate change, citing deforestation, encroachment on wetlands, and poor land use practices that have led to the silting of water bodies. Dr. Callist Tindimugaya, a commissioner in the Ministry of Water, noted, “The environment has been battered, and now it is fighting back. Ecological systems, which once acted as water reservoirs, have been destroyed.”
With flooding becoming a recurring issue, communities and local governments are bracing for more challenges as climate change continues to take its toll.
Torch Media Africa
