Kampala — If measures to save the wetlands are not heeded to now, the water levels at Lake Victoria will continue to go down writes Martin Ssebuyira

A temporary house near Nakayiba wetland stream that pours water into Lake Victoria

The ever increasing lake pollution that has affected the ecological health of Lake Victoria as a result of a rapidly growing population, a booming fish-export industry, the disappearance of several fish species native to the lake and prolific growth of algae among others, have raised several concerns from several environmentalists around the globe.

Traditional lifestyles of lakeshore communities have been disrupted and are crumbling. There is a consensus among scientists that if an accelerated push to save the lake is not made soon; this much-needed body of water will cease to sustain lives of the aquatic animals and the people living around.

The Lake Victoria Region Local Authorities Cooperation (LVRLAC) has ignited a system of establishing environment pedagogic centres around Lake Victoria shores to mitigate lake pollution.

The system involves facilitating local authorities who have strived to put measures to save the great water body with good proposals to establish centres. Pedagogic centres are demonstration sites where people around the community get ideas and go out to implement them for a common goal. The cooperation recently launched an environment pedagogic centre in Masaka to demonstrate the best environment management practices to save Lake Victoria.

The water treatment plant at Masaka were sewage is treated before being released into Nakayiba wetland The centre will be second to another at Jinja to compliment Kisumu and Homa bay centres in Kenya and Mwanza and Musoma centres in Tanzania. Masaka Environment Pedagogic Centre shall display clean water supplies, wetland management, a resource centre, solid waste management, sanitation, energy, gardening, safety and accident promotions among others where people shall be able to obtain ideas.

"People get to learn better because they will be trying out environment practices at the centre," the environment officer of Masaka Municipal Council Mr Jude Golooba says. He says it has cheap, adaptable and easy to use technologies that would be used by the people to protect the environment. LVRLAC is a regional network of local authorities along the shore of Lake Victoria. The network aims at working with communities around the lake basin to ensure sustainable use of the lakes resources.

It was established after environmentalists and scientists agreed that the water levels of Lake Victoria have gown down as a result of warmer temperatures (global warming). The warmer temperatures were linked to environmental degradation on the shores of the lake, which is primarily linked to the loss of forest cover.

The ever-increasing rates of urbanisation worldwide mean that sustainable development cannot be effective without a new approach to urban planning. If the social, economic and environmental concerns are integrated, the model of the Environmental Pedagogic Centre (EPC) can be a promising initiative.

A recent study done by International Development Research Centre based in Canada, shows that on a daily basis, Tanzania is responsible for 2 million litres of untreated sewage and industrial waste that flows into the lake.

Although Kenya has rather strict pollution laws, these are rarely enforced because the industries have ties with foreign investors and the government often has a significant stake in the polluting units.

Moreover, it is considerably cheaper for the industries to pay an occasional Kshs10,000 fine ($220) than to install equipment to treat effluent at a cost of $2m that is meant to stimulate environmental awareness and supporting behaviour change amongst the community.

LVRLAC cooperation has bestowed a sum of Shs91m to help Masaka Municipality construct a pedagogic centre and Shs22.8m to Katabi Sub country for proper wetland management to save Lake Victoria.

People who have encroached on Namajjuzi wetland displaying trees seedlings for sale in Masaka. PHOTOS BY MARTIN SSEBUYIRA

The LVRLAC Secretary General Dr Julius Ayo Odong says money provided is a step forward from the usual advocacy the cooperation has been engaging in.

He says people need to engage in the things being taught than merely talking to them. Dr Adongo says the pedagogic centre will help to replicate the best practice identified in Kenya and act as a model for environmentally sustainable activities among the Ugandan communities residing in the Lake Victoria Region.

The green algae, which is spreading to wider parts of Lake Victoria is also another source of concern.

Algae are microscopic plants that occur naturally in water. Ordinarily, these are not a nuisance, but pollution causes them to turn into green-like paint and start smelling.

The spreading green substance is a symptom of the environmental problems that have been taking place in the catchments of Lake Victoria attributed to poor management of solid waste, encroaching on wetlands and effluent from the increasing number of industries in Kampala is being released into the lake.

Nema has made a belated campaign to save the wetlands, but this has encountered stiff resistance from a few people who have settled in the swamps.