RUKUNGIRI-The public and local leaders have been encouraged to cooperate and shun the habit of encroaching wetlands if the next generation is to enjoy a favorable environment.
The words of encouragement were revealed by the Rukungiri Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Nsubuga Bewayo Stephen while speaking to officials of Rukungiri district during launching the distribution exercise of goats to the people who were evicted from wetland areas with the aim of restoring them a function held at district headquarters on Monday.
The most degraded wetland in Rukungiri is “Ihimbo Kakindo Mashaku wetland” which stretches in two sub counties of Bugangari and Bwambara also shared with Kanungu district.
Under the program “Building Resilient Communities in Restoration of Wetlands in Uganda” the Ministry of Water and Environment decided to first sensitize people who are using these wetlands and those willingly to get out of them be given another alternative of livelihood.
The government therefore provides livelihood to these people according to their demand where some of them requested different enterprises including goat rearing, bee keeping, piggery, fish farming, and other livelihood but Rukungiri district has so far received the first bunch of 79 high breed goats for those who demanded for them.
RDC Nsubuga narrated that all people who are still encroaching on wetlands should stop the habit with immediate effect adding that communities will experience drought if people continue encroaching on wetlands.
Nsubuga however called upon the public to thank President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for thinking about local people who are normally given rights to first be sensitized before they are forced out of wetlands.
Deus Twekwase the Rukungiri district water officer told our reporter that before people were advised to get out of these wetlands, they were fully sensitized about the advantage of having wetlands in communities.
Twekwase added that since they all accepted the idea, Rukungiri district authorities in cooperation with the central government decided to give them other sources of livelihood according to their demands.
Geoffrey Kyomukama the Rukungiri district chairperson encouraged the beneficiaries not to sell the donated goats but rather take good care of them to improve their household income.
Musimenta Cledonia Clair thanked the government of Uganda for thinking about women who are working tireless for betterment of their children adding that the gender are the most people who have been using these wetlands to grow their crops.
The distributed goats were supplied by Busyooro Diary Company limited.