The Wealth in our Environment Albertine Regional Water and Environment Week 2021 #UWEWK 2021 “Water a thorn, get a rose. Every small action we do as stakeholders in the region for water and environment will have a direct positive impact on the socio-eco- nomic growth of the tourism city,” Dr Brian Guma, Team Leader Albert Water Management Zone Theme: Valuing Water and Environment resources for socio-economic transformation The Uganda Water and Environment Week (UWEWK) organised annually The Albertine Water Week activities provided an open and dynamic by the Ministry of Water and Environment. This year’s UWEWK21 slated platform for key stakeholders and participants to converge and advance for 21st to 26th March 2021 running under the theme “Valuing Water the agenda for water, environment, sanitation, livelihood improvement and Environment resources for socio-economic transformation” was and poverty reduction. preceded by regional commemorations organised through the decen- tralised regional structures and agencies of the Ministry. Participating stakeholders working on waters, sanitation and environ- ment in the region included civil society under their umbrella network The Albertine region UWEWK21 was organised by the Albert Water UWASNET, JOIN for Water, IRC, Natural Resource Defense Initiative, Management Zone (AWMZ), the Rural Water and Sanitation Regional Ministry of water and Environment-AWMZ, RWSC-6, WASH TASK team, Centre 6 (RWSRC-6), the Mid-Western Umbrella of Water and Sanitation HEWASA, Kabarole District local government and local communities. (MWUWS), National Forestry Authority and the LEAFII project in collaboration with sector partners, from 15th to 19th March 2021. Inside This Issue Page 2: Creating awareness on safe water and environment for life. Page 5: Water resources management Page 7: Water and Environment in a Creative Economy Newsletter production Contributions by: Kebirungi Phionah AWMZ, Felix Basiime, Jonan supported by IRC Tusngwiire, William Nyakoojo, Justus Ahimbisibwe, [AWMZ] Naomi Kabarungi and Vera van de Grift, [IRC]. Uganda 1 1. Creating awareness on safe water and environment for life. “Keeping our water sources and households clean is key in driving the economy. Infections that come from poor hygiene and sanitation are the cause of poverty in our community because we spend all our money treating diseases,” - Hon Rwabuhinga, Kabarole District LC5 Chairman Walking the Talk: The Trek to Rwenzori Group Picture of the Walkers “As civil society we act for social justice, the call is on the government to enforce the laws, but we urge them to keep a human face. Instead of harsh enforcement, let us promote conservation which does not exclude the people, but enables them to use the resources sustainably,” says Martin Watsisi, IRC Uganda. 17 Mar 2021: A group of people under the Uganda Walkers Association Culture arrived in Kabarole after covering 300 km from the Kampala start-point. Sharing their experience of the trek, the walkers expressed disappointment that while the region was well-endowed with natural forest cover, the environment was heavily polluted by plastics visible floating on River Mpanga as one enters Fort Portal city. “The tree cover is disappearing! Bottling companies must put up recycling plants in the region to regulate plastics congestion. What is the government doing about this? Otherwise, in 5 years from now the plastics will cover the entire country” - Ayeni Geoffrey, President, Walkers Association of Uganda. Government should enforce the companies to see how they can control Kabarole is the heart of Tooro Kingdom. The kingdom Prime Minister, their waste products because they are the cause of this problem they Minister of lands and environment, and Minister of Tourism pledged should sensitize the people on how to dispose this plastic waste. pledged their commitment to saving the natural environment of Tooro. The government agencies are optimistic that the catchment-based “We have structures in the kingdom such as Isaazi where the message of water resources management approach will yield results. However, valuing water and our environment can be expounded”, said Kole there are challenges in enforcing the environmental laws and policies; Kateeba Minister of Lands and Environment, Tooro Kingdom. the government relies heavily on community policing. 2 Government should enforce the companies to see how they can control their waste products because they are the cause of this problem they should sensitize the people on how to dispose this plastic waste. The government agencies are optimistic that the catchment-based water resources management approach will yield results. However, there are challenges in enforcing the environmental laws and policies; the government relies heavily on community policing. The kingdom officials are mobilising the people to plant 10 million and its partners in cleaning parts of Fort Portal town and on the public trees along river Mpanga and its catchments. Water catchments in dialogue. The Chief Cleaner the Rt. Rev. Dr. Robert Muhirwa Akiiki, the tooro have been highly degraded due to dwindling forest cover, Bishop of Fort Portal diocese highlighted the need for people to protect widening river banks and wetlands encroachment. water sources so as to remain clean.“Dirty water can make people sick that is why we want all water sources to be kept clean, we should not cut trees but plant more, this is a planting season so if we don’t have more trees then no rain but drought” he says. Bishop Muhirwa asked the leaders to play their role in implementing and enforcing the laws governing Natural resources in this country. Schools Ministry of Water and Environment officials with partners like the IRC visited and involved schools within Fort Portal city, sensitizing the “Now we face both floods and severe drought here which was not the case before,” Mr Polly Kateeba, the Tooro kingdom minister for lands and learners about tree planting safeguarding the environment. environment said. Tooro kingdom and other partners in saving the river Mpanga water catchments say that the move is intended to safe guard the river which is a lifeline of hundreds of people, flora and fauna. “People should plant trees, we are proud as Tooro kingdom we have rare trees only found here in the whole world at Mpanga gorge” Joan Kantu, the Tooro Kingdom Minister of Tourism says, adding, “The river Mpanga problem starts at the source upstream and then in the middle stream in Fort Portal city and Kabarole and then at the downstream in Kitagwenda which we must address now”. School children tree planting activity Public Institutions The Catholic church in Kabarole with the leadership of Rt. Rev. Dr. Muhiirwa and state security agencies participate in the city cleanup campaign at Mr Steven Emor, the Senior Officer Albert Water Management Zone in Mpanga market. State security agencies including the Uganda People’s Defense Force, the Ministry of water who led a team that planted trees at Green Circle Uganda Prisons, Religious organizations, Toro Botanical gardens, local primary School in Fort Portal city sensitized the pupils on how to plant governments all joined the Ministry of Water and Environment officials trees, maintenance and importance of trees to the environment. 3 “If you plant trees in your homes and at school, you will always The Media have clean water from river Mpanga” he says, adding, “When river Mpanga is dirty, then the water you receive in your homes from taps too will be dirty” Business Community The business community especially those operating close to river Mpanga and its tributaries in Fort Portal city joined hands with the Ministry of Water and Environment officials with its partners in town clean up, public dialogue and planting trees. The traders pledged to stop dumping of waste in the river. Caritas Hewasa pledged to keep cleaning Mpanga market monthly by mobilizing the vendors. Recognising the power of the media in creating awareness and Dr Brian Guma, the team leader Albert Water Management Zone said promoting positive WASH behaviour and water resources manage- the relevance of the regional water week commemorations in ment, IRC Uganda has continually facilitated the learning and active Kabarole and Rwenzori at large is to set a preamble to create participation of journalists in Kabarole and the Rwenzori region at awareness and a change to the region especially to the tourism city large. by changing the lives and attitudes of the people towards safe During the regional UWEWK21, journalists through their social media guarding the environment. group “Rwenzori WASH Media” with IRC’s support undertook to follow the events, document the awareness messages and share by publishing in their media houses the outcomes of the campaign. The media was mobilized to save the environment by highlighting issues in their daily reports in their different media houses. The journalists have been empowered through IRC’s support to report beyond the sensational political news, but rather share advocacy messages that will facilitate the desired change in water sanitation and hygiene, and natural resources governance in the Communities region and in the country at large. Communities living close to the river catchments like in Mugusu A number of their stories were given airplay on the regional radio and Kicwamba in Kabarole district were sensitized after market stations and some published in the national dailies. clean up exercise at Mugusu organized by the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) with other partners. Stories in the Daily Monitor. https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/kasese-leaders-move-to-save -river-nyamwamba--3330970 4 2. Environmental protection and Water resources management Walkers together with the Tooro official representatives and MWE planting a tree at the Mucwa Kingdom Council Hall “We have involved the users such as the farmers and cattle herders; we invite them to deliberate and participate in developing catchment management plans. We identify hot spot areas and what needs to be done, but solutions are generated from the locals.