Climate change: Why Ugandans are worried
By Degsew Amanu, AfricaNews reporter in Kampala, Uganda
Posted on Monday 14 February 2011 – 09:00 Ugandans are now in their hottest season with an average 30°C of daily temperature. However, most of them are not sure whether the coldest months will come soon since everything regarding the environment has changed. Besides, unusually, night temperature has been increasing from time to time and water shortage is real in several areas. For Kampala residents like Moses, 32, this is not something to read from newspapers or watch from television stations. He has rather started to live in a situation like mentioned above. “Of course, Kampala, where I have been grown up, had hot and cold seasons. But things have been changing since some 10 years back. Apparently, I am observing very long hot season. The so- called “cold season” is not as visible as early days. According to Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda is one of the most affected countries in climate change. The ministry says climate change has led to adverse effects in Uganda which include; declining water resources, reduced agricultural productivity, spread of vector-borne diseases to new areas, drop in fish population and increased flooding and heavier rainfall among others. A recent International Climate Risk Report also labels Uganda as one of the most unprepared and most vulnerable countries in the world as a country that agriculture takes 80 percent of the total GDP. Aribo Lawrence, Senior Programme Officer, Climate Change Unit of Ministry of Water and Environment, explained the magnitude of the problem by mentioning some areas like eastern and northern parts of the country. “Arua district of Northern Uganda hit by severe drought last year since the rain stopped early and crops were demolished”, he noted. “Consequently, people come to town to beg and they were saying “we do not have food to eat. We have lost our crops because of drought.” This incident was strange for many Ugandans”, he added. Devs Bamanya, Head of Seasonal Forecasting and Data Processing in the meteorological department, is of the same mind in the fact that several parts of Uganda are being affected by climate change. “Unusually, night temperature has been increasing from time to time. For example, these days, as someone who lives in Kampala, you do not need blankets to sleep”, he stated. “Look at Eastern Uganda. Most of its parts had flood in 2007, 2008 and even last year.” According to the Climate Change Unit, the landslide that happened last year because of heavy rain killed more than 300 people in Mbale, which is found in Eastern part of the country. The survivors of this disaster are also relocated to some other areas in order to prevent additional losses of lives. Paradoxically, there was severe drought at the same time and in the same area as Ministry of Water and Environment affirmed. Kabale, which is located in South Western Uganda, is really mountainous area. Thus, unlike today, this area used to be free from malaria in 1950s. However, now there are registered cases of malaria which followed by temperature increments. Moreover, respiratory diseases like meningitis are common in dry seasons, especially across the northern region of Uganda. …
