Nema moves to save L. Katwe

Part of Lake Nyamunuka. Photo by Felix Basiime

Part of Lake Katwe. Photo by Felix Basiime

Nema moves to save L. Katwe

By Felix Basiiime  

Posted Monday, April 2  2012 at  00:00 (http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1378080/-/awndu7z/-/index.html)

The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) with the help of local non-government organisations has moved to save Lake Katwe from extinction by regulating salt mining.

Mr Arinaitwe Kagongo, a guide at the Katwe Tourism Information Centre (Katic), a community-based organisation in Katwe-Kabatooro Town, said last week that the lake is reducing in size each day.

“Nema is coming down to destroy some of the salt pans (owned by miners) and re-open some streams,” Mr Kagongo, who has lived near the lake for 32 years, said.

He added: “There used to be about 35 streams refreshing Lake Katwe but now about 20 or less are left.”

Mr Jeconious Musingwiire, the western region focal person and public awareness officer for NEMA, yesterday said there is need to properly manage the water catchment area around the lake.

“The buffer zone at Katwe has been encroached on by miners therefore the recharging potential has dwindled,” Mr Musingwiire said.

He said the National Environment Lake Shores and River Banks Act, regulates human activities on water bodies and states that human activities on big lakes like Lake Victoria should be within a radius of 200 metres but 50-100 metres on small lakes like Katwe.

Investigation
Mr Paul Isabirye, the coordinator of the Climate Change Unit under the Ministry of Water and Environment, when he visited the lake last year said: “There must be an investigation into why the streams are drying. Trees must be planted around the lake to safeguard the banks.”
High extraction of rock salt and deforestation around the lake also contribute to the decline in salt levels, officials indicated.

There are about 5,000 plots of ponds near the lake but only 2,000 are registered by government. The ownership is hereditary. A plot measures at least 10 or 12 feet wide and between three to five feet deep.

A guided tour on the four salty lakes shows that only Lake Nyamunuka has an untampered catchment area with trees around it because there has not been any human activity near it apart from wild animals using it as a healing centre.

According to Mr Yowasi Kimulya, the director of Katic, tourism at Katwe grew in 2011 with 40,260 tourists visiting the area, a thing that attracted Shs38 million to the centre. This was 400 per cent more compared to 2009.

Officials said Lake Katwe may become barren if no measures are taken.

The salty lakes in Kasese include; Katwe, Nyamunuka, Bunyampaka and Munyanyange, but today, only Katwe and Bunyampaka have salt because they still have fresh water inlets.

The communities at Katwe-Kabatooro Town rely on traditional solar salt mining, fishing in Lake Edward and tourism for their livelihood.
fbasiime@ug.nationmedia.com