UWA in drive to rid game parks of exotic plants

A herd of female kobs in the Savana vegetation of Queen Elizabeth National Park. A huge swath of the park has been invaded by exotic plants. PHOTO BY ERIC DOMINIC BUKENYA.  

THURSDAY AUGUST 15 2019

https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/UWA-game-parks-exotic-plants-Semuliki-Queen-Elizabeth/688334-5235894-hqi74f/index.html

By LONGINO MUHINDO & FELIX BASIIME

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has started a drive to cut down all exotic trees that have become invasive [tending to spread very quickly and undesirably or harmfully], thereby affecting the ecosystem in national parks.

The drive that started last week at Semuliki National Park in Bundibugyo District, is also aimed at restoring the animal habitats.
“Most animals that had strayed from the parks because of these invasive plants have come back after restoration of some habitats, especially in Queen Elizabeth National Park,” Mr Bashir Hangi, the UWA spokesman, said on Tuesday.

Tourism is one of the top revenue contributors to the economy, fetching the country $1.45b (about Shs5.3 trillion) last financial year.

Mr Nelson Guma, the chief warden of Kibale Conservation Area (that covers two game parks and two game reserves), said the exotic trees that were planted in the park in the 1970s, do not contribute so much in terms of providing needs of the wild animals, the reason UWA is cutting them down and planting indigenous trees to improve the quality of habitats for animals, providing cover and food for animals.

“UWA has contracted a firm to remove the huge exotic trees in the parks, and thereafter, we shall engage local communities to undertake the removing of young exotic trees,” Mr Guma added.

He further said the campaign will create job opportunities to the local communities and also provide them minor forest produce like poles and firewood.

“Most of these plants have repulsive characters. They were planted along the roads in the parks but they have now spread all over the park,” explained Mr Guma.

Last year, UWA launched a Shs500m multi–pronged pilot project to fight Invasive Alien Species (IAS) that are threatening to take over Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo parks.

About 1,256sq km of Queen Elizabeth National Park is under the IAS, leaving only 722sq km of unaffected area for animals. The park measures 1,978 sq km.

Lake Mburo is worse, with only 39sq Km out of 260sq km unaffected by the invasive species.

Background
Why do away with exotic plants. Mr Nelson Guma, the chief warden of Kibale Conservation Area, says Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are a threat to birds and mammals.

He adds that they are a threat to tourism and are one of the main causes of human–wildlife conflict. He further said IAS eat up the pasture for wild animals, forcing the wildlife to community lands.
They also close up areas for game viewing, making it difficult for tourists to see the animals.

How the cyclones on Indian Ocean have affected farming in most parts of Uganda

Ms Doviko Rwomushana tending to her maize garden in Kabende in Kabarole district, Uganda. Maize growing in some areas in Uganda has faced stunting due to delayed rainfall. PHOTO BY ALEX ASHABA

How the cyclones on Indian Ocean have affected farming in most parts of Uganda

BY FELIX BASIIME

UGANDA:  There are two major dry and wet seasons in Uganda but rains have unusually poured in the months of June and July in 2019 that would be part of the long dry season and experts have warned farmers not get confused and plant.

Most parts of the country are experiencing light rains, others drizzles, others cloudy weather while others are soaked in heavy rains and are experiencing flooding paralyzing work especially to maize and coffee farmers who are counting losses after rains have affected the drying seeds in parts of Western region.

Farmers in Uganda have been warned not to be confused by the current rains to plant now that they will experience more loses instead they should start preparing gardens and also conserve the rain water.

Mr Jeconious Musingwire, the South Western Regional officer for NEMA has explained that the current rains in most parts of the country is as a result of the March to April cyclones on Indian Ocean that set wind turbulences disrupting the normal rain formation pattern over the coast to other countries including Uganda.

“It is the effect of cyclones in Indian Ocean that caused change in temperatures so the rains may continue up to the end of July and we are expecting a dry spell in August” Musingwire explained, adding, “The rains will confuse the farmers more but they shouldn’t plant instead they should prepare their gardens, those with banana plantations and cattle keepers can start water conservation structures”

The Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) (formerly Department of Meteorology) under Ministry of Water and Environment has warned of above normal rainfall in its recent release, “The Seasonal Rainfall Outlook for June to August 2019 over Uganda”

“Overall, there is an increased likelihood of above normal rainfall over most parts of Uganda and near normal rainfall in most parts of Karamoja and southern cattle corridor” Mr Paul Isabirye for UNMA Executive Director warned.

The release says that Northern and Southern parts of Central (Kalangala, Kampala, Wakiso, Masaka, Mpigi, Butambala, Kalungu, Bukomansimbi, Gomba, and Mityana) districts among others rains are expected to persist until late-July.

“Thereafter, isolated light showers will prevail until end of season. Overall there are high chances of near normal (average) with slight tendency to below normal (suppressed) rainfall over most parts of the region” the release adds.

The same is to Eastern parts of Central: (Mukono, Buikwe, Kayunga, Buvuma) districts, “Intermittent rains punctuated by dry spells will set in till early August. Thereafter, steady rains are likely to get established up to the end of the forecast period”

Central and Western Lake Victoria Basin: (Kalangala, Kampala, Wakiso, Masaka, Mpigi, Butambala, Kalungu, Bukomansimbi, Gomba, and Mityana) districts are experiencing the same weather.

Central Western: (Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Kamwenge, Masindi, Buliisa, Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Kagadi and Kibaale) districts are also experiencing the same scenario as well as South Western: (Kasese, Kabale, Rukiga, Rubanda, Kisoro, Rukungiri, Kanungu, Ntugamo, Mbarara, Kiruhura, Isingiro, Ibanda, Bushenyi, Buhweju, Mitooma, Sheema and Rubirizi) districts

“The rains that are currently being experienced in this region are expected to persist up to around mid-June when the dry conditions are expected to set in and continue up to late July. This will be followed by isolated light showers until the end of the season” it adds.

Harvest time

It is harvest time and some farmers are already counting loses due to the unpredictable  weather with both rains in the dry season. There is delayed harvest of ground nuts, maize and coffee. Those farmers who had harvested and had started drying their seeds in the sun have experienced some losses as rains set in early July in most parts of the Western region.

Mr James Bamureeba, a farmer in Masha, Isingiro district said, “We have experienced losses, we the maize and coffee farmers are counting loses due to the rains that have affected the quality of our products due to delayed harvesting while the cattle keepers are happy”

Mr Joseph Kabagambe, a large scale maize farmer in Kibijo sub county, Kakumiro district said, “The rains that have set in since Sunday have affected the maize gardens because they are already dry, the rain now is no longer useful at this stage to maize apart from making loses”

Mr Amos Wentaro, an Agronomist with National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) observed that 

“We usually have rains in March-June (Short season) and September to December (Normal rains/long season for the Western region but the winds from Indian Ocean in March to April affected the weather pattern this side; most farmers had planted and were affected especially in the cattle corridor due to the delayed rains, for those who delayed planting benefited due to rains in April”

He added, “For example in Kamwenge district, most maize farmers delayed to plant due to late rains in April and will get low yield because their maize started drying as early as May at the flowering stage”

He said the delayed planting and delayed harvesting will affect food supply chain in quality and quantity in the region this season.

“In the cattle corridor, rains took long to come like in Ntoroko, Kiruhura, Masindi Nakasongora and have been affected more, so the current June to July rains in some areas will definitely affect the quality of maize, beans and coffee but for cattle farmers it is a blessing”

According to reliefweb, changes in rainfall patterns and total annual rainfall amounts are also expected but these are less certain than changes in temperature. The climate of Uganda may become wetter on average and the increase in rainfall may be unevenly distributed and occur as more extreme or more frequent periods of intense rainfall.

Regardless of changes in rainfall, changes in temperature are likely to have significant implications for water resources, food security, natural resource management, human health, settlements and infrastructure. In Uganda, as for the rest of the world, there are likely to be changes in the frequency or severity of extreme climate events, such as heat waves, droughts, floods and storms.

This changing weather patterns is making it difficult for farmers in the country to plan using the traditional knowledge of the two planting seasons which seemed much easier to predict.

Expected impacts

The Uganda National Meteorological Authority has warned the farmers in the regions that are currently experiencing near normal rains to above normal areas for agriculture and food security sector that “Post-harvest losses (crops, fish and animals) are expected to be high”

Water logging will affect root tuber crops like sweet potatoes and yams, low production of honey but high production of milk.

In fact in some parts of South Western, milk prices that had gone high in June at Shs 1300 at some selling points has now gone down in July at Shs 1000 which is not the case usually in this period.

Mr Steven Taremwa, a trader in Mbarara town who deals in plastics said, “I had stocked more watering cans to sell in the dry season but the sales are poor because few people are buying due to the current unusual rains”

                                    END

A shero who illuminates education in Kyenjojo, Uganda

Faith Philo Kunihira (C), with the young and old children at Bring Home to the family babies’ home at Kaihura in Kyenjojo District, Uganda. Photo by Felix Basiime

Kunihira enjoys the company of the children at Bring Home baby’s home at Kaihura in Kyenjojo district, Uganda. Photo by Felix Basiime

SATURDAY MONITOR 8/6/2019

https://mobile.monitor.co.ug/A-shero-who-illuminates-education-Kyenjojo/691260-5149110-kd0xeiz/index.html

By Felix Basiime

IN SUMMARY

Heroic act. Faith Philo Kunihira’s love and care for children has been extended to hundreds of children abandoned or abused in Kyenjojo, Kabarole, Kyegegwa, Kamwenge districts, writes Felix Basiime

It is a bright day at Kaihura trading centre, about 40 kms on the new Fort Portal-Kyenjojo road. I see a sign post written on ‘Bringing Hope to the Family’ on the right hand side of the road. As I branch off, shortly after a two-minute-drive, I am already at the children’s centre that is well-fenced with a tall wire mesh.

At the gate, the guard asks me who I want to see. ‘I want to see Kunihira,’ I respond. After registering, he gives me access to the premises. I find many children, boys and girls in the compound, happily playing. This is the baby’s home that has brought hope to many children in the western region. In the office, I find a policeman registering a child who they had earlier in the day rescued from a woman, they found seated in the middle of road, waiting for a car to knock them dead. 

It is a beehive of activity as people are busy slashing, building, sweeping, older children are peeling Irish potatoes for supper, while the senior women are washing clothes, mopping and bathing children.

Moments later, I find Kunihira inside, playing with the youngest children. After exchanging pleasantries, she confesses, “I love children so much. I can spend the whole day playing with them.” 

Faith Philo Kunihira is mothering hundreds of children who have been abandoned or abused in Kyenjojo, Kabarole, Kyegegwa, Kamwenge and Kagadi districts.
Kunihira is the founder and the executive director of Bringing Hope to the Family, an non-governmental organisation based in Kyenjojo District in western Uganda, that offers education, child care centres, has supported health by building two health centre IIIs and connected hard -to -reach places by building bridges, among other services.

Impact
“In the last 19 years, I have educated 265 children who have all obtained degrees. 80 are now at universities,” Kunihira reveals. 

Asked how she sustains this initiative, Kunihira says her tireless efforts and long hours of work keep the babies’ home going. She also noted that she receives support from different donors. 

According to Kunihira, 1,225 vulnerable girls and boys have obtained vocational skills, while 136 others are undertaking vocational studies in different institutions.
“Some of the children I support are in schools like Mandela in Hoima, Kyebambe Girls Senior School in Fort Portal and several other schools. In primary schools, there are 1,650 and 62 (0 to 14 years) are in the babies’ home,” she adds.

Health care
Kunihira says more than 1,600 people living with HIV receive quality health services at Hope Again Medical Centre III and 265 of these are children.

The centre also provides free nutritional supplements. “In July, we are opening a new health centre III at Kanyegamire in Bufunjo Sub- county, Mwenge North in Kyenjojo District. We also focus on water and sanitation. We have constructed three boreholes and 62 shallow wells around Kyenjojo District,” Kunihira explains. 

Community development
Kunihira says her initiative has supported 1,224 households with agricultural inputs, nutrition, mosquito nets, psychosocial support, handled child abuse cases and supported several villages to start up saving groups.

“During our community outreach programmes in 2016, I found that the people of Kanyegamire were cut off from the rest of the district, as the only makeshift bridge had been swept away by floods at Kahombo swamp. I was told that pregnant women would fall in the waters as they sought medical services to Kifuka on foot, about 20 Km away” she says.

“While building a medical facility was ideal, we later found out that constructing the bridge first would save lives. I started soliciting for funds (Shs320 million) and I am glad that the local people will have a new bridge in July this year.” She says she received a lot of support from Duke University in North Carolina, USA.

Education
Born 49 years ago at Ntutu village in Nantungo Sub -county, Kunihira went to Kaihura Primary School and Madox Secondary School. She holds several certificates in HIV/Aids counselling and computer science and an Advanced diploma in Project Planning and Management. She holds a degree in Business Studies from the Institute of Computer Management in the UK. She holds a Master of Science Business Administration from Roehampton University in the UK. She was recently honoured with a Doctorate in Humanity from Lead Impact University in USA.

Work experience
Kunihira worked at Shell Jinja as an accountant, Uganda Grain Milling Company as an audit assistant, director at the Source Café in Jinja and is founder of the Masterseed Primary School in Jinja.

Today, she is the founder and executive director of ‘Bringing Hope to the Family’, ‘Home Again’, and a medical facility -Hope Again Medical Centre III, ‘High Hope Primary School’, New Hope Vocational institute, Future Hope- a Pregnancy Crisis Centre and runs a Community Development Programme that focuses on infrastructural development in Kyenjojo District.

What others say

Adolf Baguma, 17
Student at Mandela SS in Hoima
Philo Kunihira supported me to go for surgery in Califonia after I was tortured at home in Rugombe in Kyenjojo District, in 2016. When I recovered, she offered me a study bursary. She is a blessing to our village.

Tom Mwebaze, 26, 
Clinical Officer and the officer- in-charge of Hope Again Medical Centre III
I met this lady with a heart of gold after completing Senior Four. She paid my school fees through A- L evel and at Fort Portal School of Clinical Officers. She is a hard working woman, very caring, and a mother.

Grace Kemigisa, 
A farmer
Kunihira is a hero sent from heaven to Kyenjojo. She has supported the vulnerable children and mothers in this region. She is selfless and generous. She always yearns to see people doing better and these are enviable and rare virtues.

4,000 hectares of forest cover restored- UWA

Restored. Part of the restored Kibale National Park. PHOTO BY FELIX BASIIME 

FRIDAY JANUARY 11 2019

https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/4-000-hectares-of-forest-cover-restored-UWA/688334-4929798-tgrha8z/index.html

In Summary

Measures. Authorities have constructed pillars and planted trees on boundaries to limit human activities in the national park

By SCOVIA ATUHAIRE & FELIX BASIIME

KAMWENGE. In a bid to boost biodiversity and tourism in the Rwenzori sub-region, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has embarked on forests restoration.
In Kibale conservation area, 4,000 out of 10,000 hectares of forest have been restored in Kamwenge District, according to the chief warden of the conservation area, Mr Nelson Guma.
The project that started in 1995 has also seen 2,500 hectares regenerated naturally.
Kibale conservation area covers 766 square kilometres in parts of Kamwenge, Kabarole and Kyenjojo districts.
According to Mr Guma, the restorations will help combat climate change and restore biodiversity.
Kibale conservation area is well known for hosting primates in the whole world with about 13 species. Mr Guma said, the project will also provide habitat for biodiversity.
“So far, the number of elephants has increased as well as chimps and we hope in the near future we shall have plenty of them and more tourists will come,” he said.
With the initiative, Mr Guma said new tree species have increased too. He, however, noted that with increase in biodiversity ,human-wildlife conflict will also increase.

Activities
In a bid to stop wild animals from invading communities, Mr Guma revealed that they have dug trenches to block them from crossing. They have also empowered communities to set up beehives.
Authorities have also constructed pillars and planted trees on boundaries to limit human activities in the park.
In Bundibugyo District, the Resident District Commissioner, Ms Grace Kakwenza, has appealed to the communities to stop destroying the forests .
“We are now experiencing good weather because of the restored forests and once destroyed, the weather pattern will change,” she said:
The Bundibugyo District chairman, Mr Godfrey Mutegeki, has encouraged communities to promote tourism by popularising Semuliki National Park. “It’s a shame to find that people from other places know what is in Semuliki but the local communities do not know,” he said.

Decline

The State Minister for Environment, Ms Mary Goretti Kitutu, last year said Uganda’s forest cover has been depleted to eight per cent up from 24 per cent in the 1990s, which she attributed to human encroachment. A 2018 report on Uganda’s forest cover rby the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (Acode) also indicates that the country’s total forest cover reduced by 27 per cent between 1990 and 2005 and in that period, , total coverage reduced from 4.9 million hectares to 1.8 million hectares.

Security hunt poachers over killing of nine Uganda Kobs

A combined force of Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers and Uganda People’s Defence Forces are searching for suspected poachers believed to have killed nine Uganda Kobs. PHOTO BY FELIX BASIIME 

WEDNESDAY APRIL 10 2019

https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Security-hunt-poachers-over--killing-nine-Uganda-Kobs/688334-5064312-11ygt3f/index.html

In Summary

·         Tooro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve covers part of Ntoroko, Bundibugyo and Kabarole districts and also borders with Lake Albert.

By FELIX BASIIME

NTOROKO. A combined force of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) are searching for suspected poachers believed to have killed nine kobs in Tooro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve in Ntoroko District.

The warden-in-charge of Tooro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Mr Benon Mugyerwa, on Monday evening confirmed the death of the Uganda Kobs.
“Yes, we found nine heads of the kobs inside Tooro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve last week on Wednesday. The poachers had already taken the meat but we have dispatched a combined force of our rangers from our reserve and other parks together with the UPDF to hunt and arrest these poachers,” Mr Mugyerwa said.

Other poaching incidents
Just mid last month, court in Ntoroko District sentenced four cattle keepers for illegally grazing more than 600 cows in Tooro Semliki Wildlife Reserve.
Mr Deusdedit Twinomugisha, the assistant warden of Community Conservation at Tooro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, said the cattle keepers have killed all the lions in the reserve because they eat their cows.
“Lions are the key attraction to tourists in the park. Tourists don’t want to see domestic animals in the park and they pay a lot of money to see wild animals, birds and boat cruise events,” he said.
Mr Twinomugisha said the reserve receives between 500 to 700 tourists each year.

Last year, Police in Katwe-Kabatoro in Kasese District held four suspects for allegedly killing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The 11 lions included three females and eight cubs, which died after suspected poisoning, at Hamukungu Fishing Village in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The management of the reserve continues to suffer challenges that include poaching, illegal grazing, poor road network to the reserve, poor community attitude towards conservation, illegal trafficking of wildlife resources and a high demand of resources from the reserve such as poles, firewood, water and grass.

The reserve
Tooro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve covers part of Ntoroko, Bundibugyo and Kabarole districts and also borders with Lake Albert.
According to UWA, some of the cattle keepers were allowed to graze in the reserve during the ADF war to alert government about the rebel positions but after the insurgency in 1990s, however, the habit of grazing in the reserve continued.

As early as 1913, Tooro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve became significant for tsetse fly control programme and a lion hunting area.
It was established as a Game Reserve in 1926 Under General Notice 546 aiming at the protection of the large population of wild animals of which kobs were dominant. Other games were reedbucks, waterbucks, hartebeests, lions, buffaloes, elephants, hippos and others.

500 cows die as drought wreaks havoc in Ntoroko

Cattle keepers help a cow get on its feet in Rwebisengo Sub-county, Ntoroko District, during drought in 2017. FILE PHOTO 

WEDNESDAY MARCH 27 2019

https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/500-cows-die-drought--Ntoroko-Muzizi-Semliki/688334-5043624-bdiua2z/index.html

By FELIX BASIIME & ALEX ASHABA

Ntoroko- Cattle keepers in Ntoroko District have lost more than 500 head of cattle following drought since January.
Pastoralists and residents trek between 6kms and 10kms daily searching for water from Semliki, Wasa (inside Tooro Semliki Wildlife Reserve), Muzizi and Makondo rivers.

“The place is very dry; we have lost more than 500 cows since January due to lack of pasture and water for our cattle and this has put us in a dangerous situation,” Mr Charles Mujungu Kasoro, the chairperson of Rwebisengo Cattle Keepers Association, said on Monday.
Mr Kasoro said market prices of cows have also reduced since the animals look frail.

The most affected areas are Rwebisengo, Kibuuku, Kanaara and Bweramule sub-counties.
“President Museveni pledged to provide us with safe water from River Muzizi but we have never seen anything and yet every year, we lose our cows to starvation,” Mr Kasoro said.

President Museveni made the promise during the 2016 presidential campaigns.
Mr Timothy Kyamanywa, the district chairperson, said the drought and floods have increased the cost of fighting malaria, especially among children as the drugs are running out.

Mr Meshack Byomuntura, a research officer at Rwenzori Anti-Corruption Coalition, said the situation has been compounded by the incomplete construction of four boreholes in Rwebisengo and Butungama sub-counties.

“The communities have to move to River Semliki to fetch water for animals and domestic use,” Mr Byomuntura said.
“Our findings revealed that there were gaps in the procurement process that has contributed to the delay for construction of boreholes since last year, especially at Budiba, Kiranga and Majumba,” he added.

Government moves to cool locals’ tempers over oil drilling in Queen Elizabeth park

In the spotlight. Queen Elizabeth National Park. Government has explained the process it will take before issuing oil exploration licences for the Ngaji block in the park. PHOTO BY ERIC DOMINIC BUKENYA 

FRIDAY MAY 10 2019

https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Government-moves-cool-tempers-oil-drilling-Queen-Elizabeth-park/688334-5108216-12uqp47/index.html

In Summary

·         Concern. Environmentalists worry they will lose the ecosystem while fishermen fear for their source of livelihood.

By FELIX BASIIME & MISAIRI THEMBO KAHUNGU

KASESE/KANUNGU. The government has explained the process it will take before issuing oil exploration licences for the Ngaji block in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, where surrounding communities and some civil society organisations (CSOs) are trying to put up a spirited defence of the ecosystem.

The Ngaji block is an oil and gas exploration area around Lake Edward, on the side of Kasese and Kanungu.
The area is adjacent to the Virunga National Park in DR Congo. It is a world heritage site and forms part of the same continuous ecosystem.”

Currently, there is a petition raised by environmentalists and fishermen expressing fear for the environment and fishermen losing their source of livelihood.
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Mr Robert Kasande, in an interview, however, said it is too early to raise the red flag over the planned exploration.

Mr Kasande said the people raising the petition need to first visit Murchison Falls National Park to confirm any kind of environmental issues the exploration caused on the side of Nwoya District before seeking to block it in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

“It is preliminary for anybody to put such a petition because we have not yet put that area for exploration licensing. If you go to Murchison, you will be able to see that nothing bad happened there,” he said.
Mr Kasande said when the ministry sets out an exploration area for licensing, sensitisation meetings would be held in the affected areas.

Mr Jeconious Musingwire, the south-western regional officer for National Environmental Management Authority (Nema), said: “Geological process of oil normally affects water, but licensing moves in phases, there will be public hearings where there is an issue raised, it will be considered, all stakeholders must be consulted, Nema has to license after a scientific research has been done.”

The activists, who include members of Kasese Youth and Women Clean Energy Clubs and a local CSO, contend that this area is a world heritage site and forms part of same continuous ecosystem.
They said if oil exploitation is carried out, it will affect the ecosystems and render fishermen jobless yet it is uncertain that the oil industry would offer them jobs.

Some of the activists of the CSO are linked to Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO), which has been a champion in advocating community issues, especially in Bunyoro, where oil and gas production is expected in a few years.
Their recent concerns rose after government’s plan to launch the second competitive licensing round for oil blocks, which would include Ngaji oil block, this week.

Cabinet this week approved the licensing of at least nine exploration areas, Ngaji block inclusive.
Ngaji oil block was one of the blocks that were not licensed due to community, CSO and international pressure.

Mr Nicholas Kagongo, one of the activists based in Katwe-Kabatoro Town Council, Kasese District and also a field officer for Kasese National Association of Professional Environmentalist, said:

“The Ministry of Energy should not license out the Ngaji oil block for oil exploration, because the block covers the Uganda side of Lake Edward and parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park that borders directly with the Virunga National Park in DR Congo, the world heritage site and forms part of the same continuous ecosystem.”
He said allowing oil exploration would put Lake Edward and Queen Elizabeth National Park at a risk because an estimated 200,000 fishermen and local communities such as Rwenshama, Katwe, Kisenyi, Kayanja on the Uganda side depend on the lake.

Mr Kagongo said the lake is also a home to several birds species, elephants, crocodiles, lions, buffaloes and hippocampus.
He said: “The oil activities in Queen Elizabeth could damage the ecosystem, the people and wildlife that depends on it, because this part of the park is where unique animals like Toppi and the climbing lions of Ishasha (in Rukungiri) and attract many tourists for game drive, so the oil drilling would directly impact on the fragile ecosystem”.

Mr Kagongo said the tourism potential of the area could harvest lots of money than the non-renewable oil resource.
Mr Joshua Rukundo from Kanungu Disrict, which will also be affected if Ngaji oil block is licensed out, said nearly an entire parish would be affected yet Kanungu has high population pressure.
“If Ngaji oil block is licensed, it will affect the ecosystem. I think the government should find an alternative venture.” Rukundo said.

Mr Edwin Mumbere, the co-ordinator of Coalition of Kasese Women and Youth clean energy clubs, said: “Ngaji oil block serves economic, social, cultural and aesthetic purposes that no amount of money from oil exploitation can replace that from tourism.”
Uganda is signatory to the Paris Climate Change Agreement which among others promotes environmental conservation and addressing climate change.

The Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming below a 2 degree Celsius by the end of the 21st Century and pursue efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius, according to the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

As well the Paris Agreement text stipulates that developed countries must financially assist developing countries both in terms of adaptation to global warming and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, which requires the expansion of renewable energies.
According to the Wilderness Society, an online publication, there are several ways oil and gas drilling is bad for the environment.

They say oil and gas drilling is a dirty business and has consequences for wild lands and communities. That it disrupts wildlife migration routes and habitats from noise pollution, traffic and fences.

It is characterized by oil spills on land and offshore drilling sites, landscape changes from well pads and roads, oil and gas infrastructure and traffic spoil peaceful settings for visitors, haze, toxic chemicals and dust pollute the air and water.
That machinery, gas flares and light pollution disrupt scenic views and clear night skies and dangerous methane emissions contribute to climate change.

Effects of Oil & Gas 

According to the Wilderness Society, an online publication, there are several ways oil and gas drilling is bad for the environment.
They say oil and gas drilling is a dirty business and has consequences for wild lands and communities. That it disrupts wildlife migration routes and habitats from noise pollution, traffic and fences.

It is characterised by oil spills on land and offshore drilling sites, landscape changes from well pads and roads, oil and gas infrastructure and traffic spoil peaceful settings for visitors, haze, toxic chemicals and dust pollute the air and water.
That machinery, gas flares and light pollution disrupt scenic views and clear night skies and dangerous methane emissions contribute to climate change.

Oil development and production
Uganda’s oil and gas industry is transitioning from exploration and appraisal to development and production.
The components involved at the development and production stage include well pads, pipelines, Central Processing Facilities (CPF) and other infrastructures.

Well pads consist of production wells, injection wells and well fluid. Production wells are wells through which the oil flows to the surface; Injection wells are wells used to pump water into the oil fields to stimulate the oil flow, and; Well fluids are a mixture of oil, gas, water and impurities.

Production pipelines to transport produced oil and gas. Water abstraction and water injection pipelines to transport water. Polymer injection pipeline to transport polymer from the Central Processing Facilities to Oil Wells.

In the CPF, the oil, gas and water in the well fluids will be separated. This is safely done in many places in the world.
Other project infrastructures will include; new field roads, upgraded roads, workers’ camps and operational support bases and other facilities - borrow pits and waste disposal area.

The oil blocks in Uganda are in the Albertine rift basin, close to the border with DRC, where commercial oil deposits are estimated by government geologists to total 6 billion barrels. The six blocks are in Ngassa, Tai Tai & Karuka, Mvule, Turaco, Kanywantaba and Ngaji