Chris Mugasha
February 01, 2013
Wetlands were 13 percent of Uganda’s area, but in a short time they have shrunk to 11 percent. The level of wetlands destruction is very visible.
Wetlands cover about 13% of the total area of Uganda, with permanent wetlands covering approximately 7,296 square kilometers, and seasonal wetlands covering about 2,809 sq. km. A total of 2,376.4 sq. km of wetlands have been encroached upon and reclaimed in Uganda today. This implies that almost all the seasonal wetlands in the country have been encroached upon and reclaimed for human settlements, industry and agriculture.
One of the worst affected is Orusindura wetland along the Ishaka-Kitagata-Ntungamo road.
The wetland which is the only source of water in the area is facing extinction as it has continued to disappear due to human encroachment.
Our reporter Chris Mugasha took the following pictures showing Orusindura wetland destruction:
