Veronica Kagona
8 October 2008
opinion
The Nile is more than the longest river in the world. The mystery over its length and source led to several explorations that eventually led to the colonisation of Uganda, Sudan and Egypt.
The British colonialists believed that whoever controlled the Nile would control Egypt and, subsequently, the Suez Canal, which was the main passage for east-west trade.
In 1862, John Hannington Speke arrived in Uganda looking for the source of the Nile. In 1894, after the source was confirmed in Jinja, Uganda was declared a British protectorate and put under the yoke of colonial rule over the next 68 years.
The Nile is enthralling, with its majestic beauty and brutal power.
Since 1954, when a dam was opened along the river in Jinja, it has served as the main source of electricity for Uganda and helped the growth of Jinja as an industrial town in the 1960s and early 70s.
At its peak, the town had textile, beer, tobacco, leather, sugar, paper and other assorted factories, as well as a copper smelter.
Most of the factories have since closed, due to a combination of factors, leaving Jinja with a bitter taste in the mouth but the River retains its bewitching charm.
There may not be much to be seen at the source, but the subsequent waterfalls are truly breath-taking.
The most recognisable of all, Bujagali, made world famous by white water rafting, 10 kilometers downstream, is currently the site of a new power dam under construction.
There is something poignant and awe-inspiring about seeing millions of litres of water racing towards the Mediterranean Sea, every second of every day, as they have done for perhaps millions of years. No wonder some local communities have a strong spiritual attachment to the River.
Close to Bujagali on the western banks lies Kalagala Falls located at Kangulumira about 20 miles from Jinja but even more spectacular are the Murchison Falls further downstream where the river is spectacularly and violently forced through a narrow gorge only a few metres wide.
This river carries life along its banks. It feeds into Lake Kyoga in mid-eastern Uganda and as it snakes its way to the sea, it slows its pace, like a sprinter-turned marathoner, allowing people in the region to get water, fish and fertile soils. For the people of West Nile, the river is both a source of income and food.
The Nile is also the lifeblood for millions in Sudan and Egypt which is a largely desert country that relies on irrigation, using water from the river, to support its agriculture. This river, with its power and beauty, is a true wonder and the artery in which life flows in the region.
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