By Madeleine NGEUNGA Credits: This investigative story is the first part of a series co-published by InfoCongo, Oxpeckers and The Museba Project, with support from the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN). “Are we ready to risk 60 thousand hectares for Camvert, a company that has no experience in oil palm plantations?” asked Samuel Nguiffo, […]
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Plastic bottle: The enemy within
Fredrick Mugira, Bertha Challenge Fellow After he had finished drinking his soda, Elioda Nabasa left the used Coca-cola plastic bottle in the pickup truck he was traveling in. Unaware of the presence of the used bottle, Bukenya Robert drove the car to the washing bay in Rwebikoona, Mbarara city, southwestern Uganda. Only identified as Murefu, […]
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MSF France sounds alarm as Cholera cases in Malawi soar
By George Mhango, Blantyre Increasing cases of Cholera in Mangochi—one of the 24 affected districts in Malawi—has forced the international medical humanitarian organization, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), to sound an SOS for the provision of more medical supplies to deal with the disease. This follows the visit to three treatment units, Koche, Monkey-Bay, and Cape […]
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Investigation raises concerns over plastic waste accumulation on the shores of Africa’s Rift Valley lakes
By Water Journalist Africa An investigation into the concentration of microplastics in some Africa Rift Valley lakes has found no traces of microplastics there. However, the plastic wastes are visible on the major landing sites, raising fears over the whereabouts of these dangerous residues. The shorelines are littered with polythene bags and used plastic bottles […]
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Preparing for COP27: Ugandan youth climate activist tells world leaders to walk the talk on Africa’s climate crisis
Adella Mbabazi As world leaders prepare to travel to Egypt for this year’s UN Conference on climate change, a climate youth activist in southwestern Uganda Daphine Kansiime has petitioned them to take practical steps to address the climate crisis. Kansiime who has experienced the adverse effects of climate change in her life, talked to Water […]
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Indigenous Power: Are indigenous people the best guardians of rainforests?
Indigenous power: Are indigenous people the best guardians of rainforests? Fredrick Mugira and Aimable Twahirwa This story was produced with support from the Rainforest Journalism Fund in partnership with the Pulitzer Center Thirty-one years after Kyomukama Jackson was evicted from Bwindi impenetrable forest in southwestern Uganda, the now 48-year pygmy is still hopeful that […]
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Groundwater brings smiles to communities in Burundi
Avit Ndayiziga and Gaspard Maheburwa In Burundi, like elsewhere in the countries that share the Kagera River Basin (Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda), water remains a limited and vulnerable resource. According to UNICEF, Burundi’s national drinking water coverage rate stands at “82.8%, of which 80.9% is in rural areas and 98.1% in urban areas.” Experts attribute this to […]
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Tanzania calls for harmonized laws to protect environment and safeguard groundwater
Prosper Kwigize and Hadija Jumanne Groundwater is an essential source of water throughout rural and urban areas in Tanzania. Cities like Shinyanga, Singida, Babati, Arusha, Moshi, and Dodoma rely heavily on groundwater for public water supply. According to the Lake Victoria Basin Water Board Director, Dr. Renatus Shinhu, environmental degradation in the Kagera Basin has […]
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Groundwater offers lifeline for drought-stricken eastern Rwanda
Fred Mwasa In eastern Rwanda, where temperatures have been in the upper highs for many decades, there is very little water on the surface in the form of natural wells, streams, rivers, and lakes. While government-led interventions such as massive afforestation have improved the situation, the rains are not as widespread as in other regions […]
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Groundwater holds the promise of closing the gap between water supply and demand
Sarah Mawerere This story first aired on UBC Radio Airwaves. It was supported by InfoNile with a grant from the Nile Basin Initiative. Groundwater is the most important source of drinking water for people as well as livestock and wildlife watering in the 11 countries in the Nile Basin. According to the Nile Basin Initiative, […]
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Uganda’s Fort Portal city takes steps to tackle plastic waste as its only source of water chocks on plastics
Fredrick Mugira, Bertha fellow After failing to secure a job in his formal profession, Samuel Kiiza, a business administration graduate, turned to recycling plastic bottles in Uganda’s tourism city, Fort Portal. Three years in his new profession, Kiiza confidently identifies himself as one of the inventors in the country, helping to remove plastic waste from […]
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River Nile, a freeway of plastics from African great lakes to Mediterranean Sea
Fredrick Mugira, Bertha Fellow Two small rivers in western Uganda: Mpanga, and Rwizi, are choking on plastic waste, carrying it to lakes that drain into the River Nile. Once in the Nile, this plastic debris may flow into the Mediterranean Sea. Mpanga River traverses Fort Portal, a city of 52,911 population, picking up all […]
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‘We have no time to waste,’ water activist Mina Guli urges urgent action to preserve water resources
Fredrick Mugira Water advocate, ultra-marathon runner, and businesswoman Mina Guli have been running in various African countries since mid-June as part of the African leg of the RUN BLUE Campaign, which will see her completing 200 marathons around the world by March next year. Australian-born Guli is the CEO of Thirst Foundation, a non-profit organisation […]
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Rural schools in western Uganda transform used plastic bottles into value
Fredrick Mugira, Bertha Fellow A local organization in western Uganda, the Kazinga channel schools project, is sowing seeds of plastic waste management in young people through conservation clubs in schools. Through these clubs, the pupils, their parents, teachers, and villagers in the sub-counties of Lake Katwe in Kasese district and Katunguru in Rubirizi district collect […]
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Protect the environment to secure groundwater
Fredrick Mugira Kakukuru-Rwenanura Town Council is found in Ntungamo District and lies within the Kagera basin in Uganda. Over the last six years, 12 shallow wells and 16 bore holes have dried up, according to Kahinda Misach, the former chairperson of the Rwikiniro sub-county who is now the Kakukuru-Rwenanura town council mayor. Almost all shallow […]