Over 1,000 islanders displaced as L.Victoria waters rise
Samuel Nkuba
Journalist @New Vision
___________________ A pit latrine at Kacanga landing site which raised Lake Victoria water surbmerged.
The rise in the level of Lake Victoria water in Kalangala district is threatening several livelihoods and submerging several infrastructures.
The development has seen over 100 acres of oil palm plantation submerged, causing the displacement of over 1,000 residents and submerged government-owned and private projects.
Some of the most affected areas include landing sites, fishing handling plants, Schools, Mosques, Roads, and health facilities.
Across Kalangala district, landing sites including Kacanga, Misonzi, Kaaya, Kamese in Bufumira sub-county; Buziga, Senero, Bbungo Kasenyi Bumanji, Bugoma all in Mugoye sub-county; Mwena, Lutoboka bay in Kalangala Town council have all tasted on the bitterness of rising levels since houses have submerged leaving many homeless.
For the Kaazi-Malanga landing site, the Lake reclaimed its pathway leaving no option but rather create an 85th island from the known 84.
Projects submerged
At the Mwena landing site in Kalangala town council, a fish processing plant has been submerged. This has interfered with fishermen's ability to weigh their catches.
At Kacanga landing site, a Muslim project that had a school with 400 pupils, a health facility, a docking pier, a mosque a borehole, and piped water have all been submerged.
Hajji Abdukarim Kateregga, who is in charge of the projects at Kacanga, says at first, they bought five acres of land 200 metres away from the lake shoreline but in 2021 when water levels increased they lost 2 acres of which they had constructed a docking pier that submerged.
"This time around, water has destroyed all other projects which were constructed on the other three acres," Kateregga says, adding: "Even part of our mosque is in water".
On this landing site, several pit latrines that have been in use have been submerged leaving human wastes floating on stagnant water.
Impact on health
With continued heavy downpours on islands currently, there is a high risk of islanders acquiring waterborne diseases, such as dysentery, cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid.
Kalangala district health inspector Godfrey Hadubi advised the islanders to stop disposing of human waste in the bushes to stem contamination of water.
According to the World Health Report published in October 2023, projections stipulate that two billion people lack safe drinking water and 600 million suffer from foodborne illness annually, with children under five years bearing 30% of foodborne fatalities.
It further indicates that climate stressors heighten waterborne and foodborne disease risks.
Research shows that 3.6 billion people already live in areas highly susceptible to climatic change. Between 2030 and 2050, climatic change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year, from undernutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heart stress alone.
The agriculture sector is also affected
With the ongoing heavy rains raising both Lake Victoria waters and floods, over 100 acres of palm oil plantations have been lost according to farmers.
Francis Luyinda, a farmer from Buzinga, says a farmer who has been harvesting fresh fruit bunches (FFB) worth shillings two million is getting harvest worth shillings 500,000 since part of their gardens have been claimed by Lake Victoria waters.
"We observed the 200 metres of the buffer zone in 2010 while planting our gardens but with the current speed of rising waters, it has now claimed over 600 metres from where the shoreline used to be," Luyinda says.
Currently, some farmers harvest their FFBs in boats though this is not an easy task.
During the rainy season, palm oil trees provide huge harvests weekly; however, with the flooded gardens, farmers who would earn more are now working in losses.
Also, other crops such as plantations of yams, cassava, sweet potatoes, and bananas have been destroyed by winds and heavy rain.
"We are most likely to face hunger shortly since crops have also been destroyed during this phenomenon caused by climatic change," Stella Tusaba, one of the residents at Buligo Village in Kalangala Town Council, says.
Displacement of residents
Moses Kazibwe, one of the landing site chairpersons, says 400 residents have abandoned their houses at the Kacanga landing site while others have relocated to other landing sites.
At the Bbungo landing site, residents have appealed to landowners to avail some free dry land far away from the landing sites so that they can reconstruct their houses however, landlords are against it claiming that many squatters pretend to ask for help and after some time, they claim for ownership.
"We have no room for expansion and that's why some of our islanders have left for villages and in the future if water decreases, they will come back," says Gerald Lwegaba, the Bbungo landing Chairperson.
Experts view
Joseph Byaruhanga, the officer in charge of forests in Kalangala, says the rise in Lake Victoria water levels resulted from wetland and forest destruction in which water can no longer be stored but rather just run through the cleared grounds directly to the Lake.
He has urged islanders to grow more trees which can help in tapping running water and regulate rainfall formation.
"People should also stop destroying wetlands for settlement purposes," he added.
The simple landslides that happened recently at Lutoboka Hill in Kalangala town council have been based on over quarrying of stones that is taking place across Buggala island.
"If we continue with these quarrying activities everywhere, we will experience serious landslides like those of Buduuda," Harriet Saawo, the natural resources officer at Kalangala district, says.
Warning from disaster committee
David Omongot, the Kalangala disaster committee focal person, said: "We have already communicated, written reports to OPM informing them on the current disasters, including flooding, and displacement of people and we hope a response will come through soon".
Kalangala experienced heavy rains that caused Lake Victoria's levels to rise in 1962. It again experienced it in 2021 and also this year 2024.
No Comment