Msaka District Environment authorities in collaboration with Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (BCF), Green Climate Campaign Africa (GCCF) and Fridays for Future Uganda (FFU) have launched a campaign to relieve Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater body, of the solid waste especially plastics and polythene bags.
The campaign launched at Lambu landing site, in Bukakata sub-county, Masaka district recently will also foresee and increase solid waste collection on different landing sites across Greater Masaka Region, to ensure good sanitation and safety of the water.
According to the partnership, the solid waste is eroded into the lake which contaminates the water in addition to suffocating the fish. This is further attributed to poor management.
Antonio Kalyango, the Executive Director-Biodiversity Conservation Forum (BFC), told the Insight Post that the campaign came at the time the contamination of the lake had reached an alarming rate.
He explained that their intervention follows various reports from different experts indicating that Lake Victoria water is contaminated which may affect people’s health and fish production.
For the residents around the landing sites, He added, they need to be encouraged to get involved in all campaigns aimed at protecting the lake from being contaminated.
“We have launched the campaign here at Lambu where the problem is rife and we have collected close to half a tone of plastics bottles on the first day. We would like to engage the local leaders not only at the landing site but across Masaka region to be part of this campaign,” he said.
Kalyango adds that the campaign shall roll out in other landing sites for the good of the lake and the residents who depend on it.
According to Kalyango, the residents and fishermen on different landing sites ought to be helped to understand how their activities affect the lake in various ways and train them on how to save the lake for their good.
He appealed to the community members to often put the waste in the availed dumping sites to prevent it from getting into the lake.
Timothy Mugerwa, the Executive Director- Green Climate Campaign Africa (GCCF), said that the increasing detrimental human activities on the lake, as well as the growing population and the unchecked encroachment, are party to the causes of the lake’s pollution.
He appealed to the government to intervene and support the campaign to save the lake and improve on the sanitation of the landing sites. “Much as the climate is changing and affecting the lake, we have to understand that the activities we do around the lake also affect the lake,” he said.
According to Mugerwa, the latest research indicates that plastic waste and climate change are the major causes of lakes destruction. He added that the lake water is not fresh as it used to be due to toxic chemicals and solid waste.
“Nowadays, micro-plastics are found in the fish and fish is dying which is costing the fishermen and the country’s economy. If we do not do anything to save the lake it we shall lose it,” he noted
Leah Namugerwa, the Team Leader –Friday for Future Uganda (FFU), said the world is left with only five per cent of the freshwater lakes and that’s why it is very important for countries that share the lake in East Africa to step up efforts to protect it from contamination.
She noted that the plastic production has tripled or even quadrupled due to increasing beverage and water companies.
“If we could go without plastic our environment would be safe. That’s why we came up with the campaign to reduce the number of plastic waste that is eroded into the lake,” she said.
According to Rashid Babu, the Manager of Mpongo Limited which is managing the Landing site, are trying to collect the plastic bottles around the landing site but they are still challenged by the increasing usage and poor disposal of polythene bags.
Although a dumping site established some indiscipline residents fail to adhere to the waste collection guidelines.
Gerald Lubezi, the Bukakata sub-county councilor, applauded the campaign saying that they will continue sensitizing the community members about the importance of proper waste management to protect the lake and improve the sanitation of the place.
He added that the more the neglect very important issues concerning the lake the more they suffering in the end.
Rose Nakyejjwe, the Masaka District Environment Officer, confirmed the increasing pollution of the lake saying it has led to the decline in fish production and people’s incomes.
She further explained that early this year tones of Nile perch died due to lack of oxygen because too much waste was eroded into the lake yet most of the waste is toxic.
“If we save the wetlands and forests and also protect the shoreline or river banks, then we can trap waste from entering the lake. Therefore we can have clean and safe water,” she said.
Nakyejjwe noted that without fighting the plastic waste it may be difficult to save the lake yet the population around the lake has increased. As a result, this has created too much pressure on the lake yet waste management is still poor,” she said.
She noted that removing the plastic waste can help to reduce the flooding once it rains because the water will be flowing well.
However, the campaign will be rolled out in other districts with awareness campaigns to help communities understand the importance of good waste management.
Lubega Wilson, one of the fishmongers, appealed to the district to come up with waste management initiatives where people collect plastic waste and get paid for their effort.
Mildred Nakasaanya says collecting solid waste from the lake is for our own good and the landing site communities need to be patriotic and environment friendly.
Wilson Kutamba notes we want to have clean water from the lake but if we continue contaminating it, then we shall have to suffer various waterborne diseases and scarcity of fish in Uganda.
Matia Ssebuwuufu says every plastic bottle and polythene which left uncollected is not only a threat to the lake but to our lives. The lake is the only largest resource that’s left to save Uganda therefore we need to act responsibly and collect solid waste.
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