Inside KCCA’s draft ordinance to regulate construction and save trees.

BY IRENE ABALO OTTOiaotto@ug.nationmedia.com

KCCA’s main aim for the greenery is to save the environment and mitigate the impact of climate change on the city.

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) secured funding from the European Union to implement some recommended actions from the Kampala Climate Change Action Plan which seeks to ensure that the long term development of Kampala City takes a low carbon and sustainable path in line with KCCA’s Strategic plan 2014 – 2019 and beyond.

https://www.kcca.go.ug/news/295/developing-and-sharing-the-low-carbon-and-climate-resilient-kampala#.X2Y5dx2Lko8
Kampala Capital City Authority council is yet to meet and discuss a drafted an ordinance that seeks to regulate infrastructural development and conserve tree and plant diversity within the city. 
Inside  the Kampala City Green Infrastructure Ordinance, 2020, a copy of which I obtained, strongly specifies how green spaces will be allotted and preserved by those dealing in commercial and private infrastructure works. 
“All developments in residential areas shall allow for a minimum open green space plot coverage of forty percent of the plot. Such green space shall be open to the sky and predominantly permeable. The owner of a development in a residential area shall be required to plant at least one tree for every eighty square metres of open green space,” Reads paragraph 6 (b) of the Ordinance. Paragraph 6 (c) adds that; “All development in commercial areas shall allow for a minimum open green space plot coverage of ten percent of the plot. All development in commercial areas shall allow for a minimum of one tree for every fifteen metres along the main frontage of the development.”The draft ordinance also requires parking lots to have a minimum of one tree for every off-street parking spaces. There are also provisions for the City Authority to identify and map all infrastructure corridors in the city in order to ease movement of both underground and overhead infrastructure with minimal disruptions to the environment. “No person shall without a permit of the Authority shall pollard any tree; transplant or remove any tree on either private or public land; construct any structure around the tree or inside the the drip line of the tree.” Reads paragraph 11 (h) of the first schedule.

Context_document_Kampala_2019.pdf

Schedule nine of the Ordinance provides a permit form for anyone who would like to carry out any activity around the tree on either their private or public property. She of the terms and conditions in granting permission include; “A KCCA official must be present on site at the time of execution of the permitted activity. Replacement and planting shall be as per the urban forestry management. All tree trimming, pollarding and removal permits are valid for six months,” among other conditions. 
The Ordinance was scheduled for a second reading in a council meeting that flopped last month. Councilors say the meeting was to discuss numerous city matters but failed to convene due to some political interests. 
According to Mr. Kennedy Okello, the Executive Secretary, Planning and Works at KCCA, the city is losing its greenery to concrete daily as more infrastructure tower the city. “Before we made the none-motorized transport system, if you stood there you would just see concrete throughout. You would not see any greenery. We are losing the tree cover in the city at a very high rate. Every development that comes, the first things to be felled are the trees to pave way for infrastructure. We sat down and realized that we cannot continue to move in that direction. We want to stop the trend and reverse it using the law,” said Mr. Okello. He added;“We have very many scattered laws along planning and development which give responsibilities for different authorities and institutions to protect these trees but because they are scattered, you cannot put your hand on one law. We decided to make an ordinance to protect the green infrastructure. The initial laws were in respect to public spaces but now this ordinance encompasses both the private and public spaces.”But Mr. Okello said yesterday that since the law does not work in retrospective or backwards, those whose structures do not have match some of the requirements and specification of the ordinance will be guided on how to comply when the law comes into effect. 
He further echoes that all trees in the city belong to KCCA and should be protected as such and for anyone to cut, they have to seek permission from the Authority.  He said plans that people will submit to the authority will have to conform to the ordinance once it passes to law through the council to help mitigate the impact of climate change on the environment within the city. 

The greenery is intended to reduce pollution or complete destruction of the environment and sustainable environmentally friendly development in the city. Breach of the conditions set in the ordinance after seven days’ notice by the authority shall attract penalty of two currency points or a maximum of six months in prison or both. The first Schedule, paragraphs three and eleven of the Kampala City Green Infrastructure Ordinance, 2020, lists nineteen tree species to be protected. The trees include; drum tree, West African Cordia, Iroko or Afric and teak, budongo mahogany, white mahogany, large-leaved mahogany, udala, tamarind, bilinga, big leaf mahogany, Cuban cedar, musanga, star fruit, perfume tree, champak, spinny fiddlewood, silk floss tree, and African elemi (canarium, mupafu).A recent tree audit by KCCA recorded 53,000 trees from Kololo, Makerere and Mulago with three to five tree coverage per acre. KCCA targets to have twenty to thirty trees per acre to conserve Kampala’s greenery and mitigate climate variability. 

Gulu Go Green Marathon to make the district green this April

By

Abalo Irene Otto

Gulu District Local Government together with Community Empowerment Education and Development, CEED an NGO working to conserve the environment have yesterday day launched the Gulu Go Green Marathon that is slated for the first of April 2017 covering a distance of 5 to 15 kilometers within the municipality. The marathon is to fund raise and create awareness on the need to plant more trees to conserve the environment. The theme for the 2017 Marathon is “Conserve now, Guarantee Tomorrow.”

Bernard Loum, head of programs CEED Uganda told a media press conference at Northern Uganda Media club that the district has taken up the marathon and made it an annual event because of its benefits to the environment and the people.

Martin Mapenduzi launching the marathon at Northern Uganda Media Club, Gulu as Bernard Loum, the Head of programs CEED looks on. 

CEED plans to plat over 30,000 tree seedlings with support from National Forest Authority and other partners and schools, along road sides among other institutions not only to conserve the environment but also to beautify the district.

“We realized last year that the efforts of the district chairman in fighting indiscriminate tree cutting needed joint efforts. So we decided to partner with other organizations and institutions to plant more trees.  People do not want to realize that the extreme weather conditions that we are now experiencing is as a result of negative human activities on the environment.”

Lt Hassan Kato, the UPDF 4^th division spokesperson pledged to work with the community in planting more trees and conserving the environment.

 “If look back to last year around march when we suffered the water crisis, As the UPDF, we are committed to partner in conserving the environment that is why when you go to all these army facilities, the barracks and brigades, they are always green.”

 CEED picked a component of tree planting last year because of the need within the district as part of the efforts to combat the negative efforts of climate change that is embedded in Sustainable development Goal 13 that emphasizes on concerted efforts to combat climate change.

The project planted 5,000 trees seedlings in 15 schools around primary schools within the district and the pupils were part of the team that took care of the trees.

Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, Gulu district Chairman officially endorsed the launch of preparatory activities towards the Gulu Go Green Marathon and urged members of the public to take part in conserving their environment so that the district ceases to witness extreme weather conditions again.

The chairman called for collective efforts to re-afforestate in areas where trees have been cut down.

“We cannot continue to eat the trees that our grandfathers planted and replace none. This is dangerous to us and some of these trees are old, they need to be cut and fresh ones planted to add value to the environment.” Mapenduzi adds, “As for me, I am going to plant trees for my children and myself to enjoy, I don’t know about you and your children.”

Meanwhile, Gulu district local government is planning to mobilize members of the public to embrace tree planting to conserve the environment and also green the district to combat the negative effects of climate change in the district.

The road reserves will be identified in consultation with the district engineer to be lined with trees and individuals in that land own the trees planted in their area.

Martin Ojara Mapenduzi adds that much as beautiful roads are being constructed within the district, they would look better with tree lining at both sides just like the British did in the municipality during their era in the town.

The seedlings will be provided to the district during the Go Green Marathon run on 1^st April.

 Moses Abonga, the Chairman LCIII of Laroo division told radio Rupiny that the division already has drawn plans to plant trees along the roads both old and new roads.

 “In Laroo division, we have already moved ahead and we are want to plant more trees along the roads, both new and old ones.”

 Howver, there has been general outcry in the community that trees planted by government official never grow because of poor timing of the planting season and inadequate care for the trees.

Other related stories

Swamp reclamation causing water shortage in communities

The God who answers prayers for rain in Mucwini land.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

There were cheers and Jubilations by Pigrims at Mucwini Sub County in Kitgum district on the 16th February with believe that St Janani Luwum is truly a saint when an unusual heavy down poor flooded the area immediately after official closure of the function to celebrate the legacy of St Janani Luwum.

Earlier on in the day, the Chief Intercessor of the celebration, the most Rev John Baptist Odama the Archbishop of Gulu Catholic Archdiocese prayed to God to send rain for his children suffering from the extreme weather conditions.

” You are the God who gives rain, send it down for your children not to suffer from heat. So that they can grow crops as well.”

As if in response to the prayers, there was a heavy downpour that lasted about 30 minutes in the areas of Mucwini Sub County in Kitgum district immediately the official function closed and thousands of pilgrims were washed by the rain due to inadequate shelter at the time.

People dashed to nearby shops, tents or under trees while others found shelter in the comfort of their vehicles.

Engineer Ventus Ojok a pilgrim from Gulu Town who preferred to talk to Radio Rupiny from the comfort of his car carrying other pilgrims said the rain is a sign of a blessing from St Janani Luwum who sow it that people should not go back in dust on the roads.

” This is really a blessing to us. Today we believe that our father St Janani is a true saint who has blessed us with rain.”

Joyce Atim, a resident of Kitgum municipality says the blessings of a saint has been upon Mucwini since Kitgum district in general had taken over a month without a drop of rain and the weather conditions were getting extreme for residents.

” Kitgum has not had rain for over a month and we came here in dust but now we are going back in the blessing of rain from our father, St Janani.”

Watmon Isaac one of the pilgrims from Kitgum town who sat at the back of a pick up shocked the town when he appeared drenched and his clothe dripping from the rain yet the town was windy and dry with dust.

Watmon says that the rain just makes him believe that Janani was a true saint and a servant of God.

” From Kitgum town, we don’t see any rain and people are just laughing at me for returning wet and my trousers are dripping yet back in Mucwini the rain is very heavy. This is really funny.”

St Janani was a young teacher turned preacher by the East African Revival to later become an archbishop who championed a call for peace and justice in the then dictatorial regime of then President Idi Amin. This commitment later led to his death protracted by the then government in 1977. Today his life is celebrated every 16^th February for his legacy that lives on after his death.

 

Swamp reclamation causing water shortage in communities

By

 Abalo Irene Otto

The former Water officer Gulu district, now the Acting Gulu district Engineer has advised communities that live around water points to leave them intact the way God positioned them if they are to prevent the wells from drying up during this dry spell.

Smamuel Nyeko says that the community who are digging around the swamps are causing the water to everporate and this reduces the water levels in the ground and causing the water points to have little or no water for the community to use.

Nyeko adds that the water sources are by nature meant to have trees and grass around them to protect water from the ground from being heated and evaporated into the sky. He says if the community do not respect the way nature works, they will continue to suffer from the effects of the dry spell that is being experienced due to destructive human activities on the Land.

Cue in……………… Nyeko on water points……………

In Pece Pawel in Gulu municipality, water points in areas were the swamps are being cleared for farming, the community are facing water problems and their water Sources are drying.

John Okwonga, the LCI of Pece Pawel told radio Rupiny that they need the division to intervene and reconstruct the wells three water points that are drying up so that water there can be enough and women take less time fetching water.

Micro irrigation could boast agriculture and prevent hunger says engineer.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

Farmers in Gulu district have been urged to utilize affordable irrigation schemes within their reach to grow crops especially vegetables in dry seasons.

Samuel Nyeko, the former water officer now the acting Gulu district engineer told our reporter yesterday that rain fed agriculture needs to be supplemented with irrigation so that the community can have enough food supply throughout the year.

He says the dry seasons can also be used to cultivate perennial crops and vegetables to prevent shortage of food during the dry seasons that have become longer and hotter and also improve household income.

Nyeko adds that the district needs to devise a strategy to sensitize the community on how to use micro irrigation in their gardens to have a continuous cycle of agriculture throughout the year.

The government of Uganda through the Operation Wealth Creation is organizing to train farmer groups on how to use the micro irrigation schemes like using water bottles for drip irrigation in vegetable and fruit gardens.

Appa Shooting victims receive oxen from area MP.

By

Irene Abalo Otto

Two victims of the September 7th 2015 random shooting by Uganda police and the UPDF last month received 5 million shillings each to help them have a means of livelihoods.

Anthony Akol, the Kilak South Member of parliament in Amuru district handed the money to the two amputees and asked them to use the money to buy an ox and ox plough each so that they can make more money through hiring to other farmers in their village.

“I am buying for them the oxen and ox ploughs so that they can begin to earn money from it and also use it to plant their own crops. I shared with them and this is more sustainable than giving them cash for other ventures.”

Akol told our reporter from his home in Lyibi division that he saw a great need to contribute to the wellbeing of the two youth who lost their hands during the scuffle at the ApaaAdjumani demarcation last year.

He says the two are among the over 83 people who got injured and some are still nursing their wounds in the villages without help from the government that was supposed to protect them from being hurt.

“These are Ugandans living in Apaa, Amuru district which is also part of Uganda. The government should have protected them instead of using the armed force against them. I am coming in to help them because I see the pain that they are going through yet the government that inflicted pain upon their lives is not bothering,’ says the Kilak South Member of Parliament.

Felix Opiyo, a 27 year old victim who lost his right hand in the Apaa shooting victims says that from the day he was wounded, he has been living in both physical and psychological pain because he can no longer dig to make ends meet for his widowed mother and siblings.

“They came and attacked us brutally in our ancestral home. I uses to dig. Now I cannot dig to pay my school fees to finish compass. I cannot even bath my own body. I have problems with my lung and other sickness that I never had before yet I have sought for justice from government entities in vain.” Say Opiyo.

At the time of the shooting, Felix was already in his second year at Gulu University pursuing Bachelor of Business Administration paying his own tuition and that of his other siblings through proceeds from his farming activities.

He adds that they feel the government of Uganda will not help them because their case with Uganda Human Rights commission is dragging on without signs of success.

Christine Ayet, 48 years, the mother of Felix Opiyo says that being a widow, her first born son had become a husband to her because he was the one fending for the family. She urged the government and other able NGOs to provide support to her son and if possible marry for him a wife so that she is relieved from bathing him like a child on a daily basis, a duty she says is uncomfortable.

“My first born son was already at the University yet he fended for the family through farming in the village. Now he cannot dig because his hand was amputated after the bullet wounds damaged it. Their father was killed during the war and I have no one to help me now. He was like my husband but see what they have done to him,” Ayet narrates while in tears referring to Uganda Police and the UPDF.

Jacob Okumu, another 26 year old victim whose left hand was also amputated because of the bullet wounds from the Apaa shooting told our reporter his three wives left him with four children the moment he got wounded.

Okumu says that since he is a peasant, his wives rendered him useless because he can no longer dig to fend for the family. He adds that his major personal challenge is bathing since he does not have anyone to help him apart from his father.

The Appa shooting Incident that happened when residents protested the boundary demarcation of Adumani and Amuru on 7th September 2015 that left 83 people wounded and 11 are still missing to date.

However, Patrick Jimmy Okema, the Asqwa Region Police Spokesperson says that the police has no issue to answer concerning the amputated youth.

“We came out clearly after the Apaa incident that no body was shot at. But those who got hurt were those who picked the tear gas canisters, it exploded on them. It is unfortunate that they lost their hands.” Says the Police PRO.

The Apaa operation by the police during the Boundary demarcation was allegedly ordered for by the IGP, Gen Kale Kaiyura.

Uganda Government earmarks 6 billion shillings to beatify municipalities

The government of Uganda has accepted to beautify three municipalities in a project that aims to improve the sanitation of the towns that are to be turned into cities within the country.

The three municipalities are Gulu in Northern, Arua in West Nile and Mbarara in Western Uganda.

George Labeja, Gulu Municipal Council Mayor told Acholi Times in an exclusive interview that the government has earmarked 6 billion shillings to beautify the three selected municipalities.

“The corridors in the town are dirty but the government has accepted to give us money to work on them. Gulu will be clean both in front and behind the corridors as we prepare to attain a city status soon,” the mayor assured the residents living within the town.

According to Labeja, the money will be used to work on behind corridors in the town constructing storm water drainage, planting grass and flowers in what is currently a filthy environment.

He adds that the work is expected to begin before December this year when the money is realized by the government.

“We had a consultant three days ago and plans are that the work begins by the end of this year when we get the money,” says the mayor.

Labeja says that in Gulu, the work will begin from Layibi College Junction up to the town center. There shall also be a 9 member committee to maintain both the front and behind corridors in the town to ensure good sanitation in the areas.

“To maintain the corridors clean, we shall institute a 9 member committee for both in front and behind corridors to ensure that the town is clean everywhere. That will be our pride as the people of Gulu.”

Restoration of IDP camps begins in Gulu

Gulu district has began effecting plans to restore the former IDP camps in the district that hosted the internally displaced persons at the peak of the insurgency.

According to Francesca Atto, the district environment officer, the land that hosted the IDPs was degraded due to congestion and destruction to create more space for settlement hence destroying the environment through tree cutting.

She says the district last week distributed 14,416 tree seedlings to trained land owners in the former camps of Coo pee, Ongako, Palenga and Unyama in a bid to save the region from the negative impacts of climate change on economic activities.

” We started with the major camps in the district and they are four in number. We shall try to restore these degraded places because they helped our people during the insurgency. The land owners were really generous to our people.”

The environment officer says that the affected land owners were trained by the district with the hope that they shall be able to effect restoration activities through tree planting.

She says that the community should come out massively to implement the saying that “cut one plant five” to improve on the rainfall pattern in the region and fight the effects of climate change.

She adds that currently, Unyama Sub County is most affected by swamp reclamation which is destroying the environment especially for agriculture and human settlement compared to other sub counties in the district.

At the conflict’s peak in 2005, there were 1.84 million IDPs living in 251 camps across 11 districts of northern Uganda.

Amuru Chairman vows to fight deforestation

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Amuru LCV Chairman has promised to deal with charcoal burners in the district until they are wiped out to make sure that forests in the district are not destroyed for charcoal burning business by those who are selfish and do not care about the climate of the area.

Micheal Lakong, while in an interview with our reporter from Amuru centre said that as a district, they have halted issuing of license to anybody who wants to cut down trees on a large scale due to the impunity manifested by the charcoal burners.

Lakony rubbished claims that there are a section of people accusing him of tribalism because he chased away all foreigners from forests in the district saying that most of the people massively cutting down the trees just happened to be from other districts but he would equally reprimand those from within the district if they do not preserve the forests.

He adds that the people of Amuru shall not be able to fight poverty if the environment that is supposed to provide for them wealth in terms of agriculture is destroyed by a handful of selfish profit minded people.

He says for the one month that he has been in office, he learnt that there were only two to three people were officially given licenses to cut down trees in a selected area according to reports from the environment officer but effective July 1st that licenses expired and no more licenses will be issued to either timber or charcoal dealers.

Last month violence erupted in the district over indiscriminate tree cutting especially in the most affected areas of Pogo, Labala in Pabo Sub County, Okidi in Atiak and Guruguru in Lamogi Sub county Amuru district.

The LCV says that he got reports that there are a group of people who were chased from the forest last month and they are going back to continue with the charcoal burning for commercial purpose but he is organizing with his team to find a way of dealing with them so that they do not ever go back to destroy the environment and interfere with the development of Amuru and her people.

He urged people not to give away the wealth of the district by destroying the forest but rather preserve it and guard it at individual levels from those who cut with impunity.

There are over 1,000 individuals mostly from Central region ferrying between 4,000 to 5,000 bags of charcoal every week form Amuru district to the central business area of Kampala.

Charcoal burning cannot be completely stopped says Gulu Chairman.

Gulu district Local Government in partnership with Community, Empowerment, Education, Development, CEED and other partners have organized a marathon in Gulu town to scale up the participation and ownership of responsibility to reduce environmental degradation and its impact on the lives of people in the region.

The marathon dabbed, “Gulu Go Green,” is under the theme, “ run to plant a tree ” will raise funds to buy tree seedlings from National Forestry Authority to be given to institution and the community to plant in a bid to reduce on the negative impacts of climate change on the economic activities in the region.

Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Gulu LCV chairman told journalists during a press conference at NUMEC in Gulu town today that it is no longer just a requirement to conserve the environment but a responsibility for everyone to account for environmental degradation by acting to discourage massive tree cutting in the region.

Mapenduzi said that he would not love to go back caning people for destroying the environment like he did last month but people should understand that the more they are adamant to conserve the environment by protecting the trees that give them the rainfall and other energy resources, they are bound to feel the negative impacts of climate change in their personal lives.

He adds that tree cutting for charcoal burning cannot be stopped 100% because people need the energy for domestic use but there are legal procedures that should be followed when cutting down trees to regulate the activity.

Ambross Olaa, the Prime Minister Ker Kwaro Acholi said in the press conference that the Acholi culture appreciates the natural environment for its medicinal and friendliness it provides for communal gathering and dialogue to solve problems under trees thus the Acholi people should uphold the culture to also conserve and protect the environment against destruction.

He adds that the natural environment was given to man by God to use it to improve their lives but the only worry is the unsustainable exploitation of the natural resources especially for charcoal business.

Julius Labeja Acire, the Executive Director CEED, Uganda and NGO working to preserve the environment said when Gulu did not have water in the taps early this year, the impact did not chose who to affect but reports showed environmental factors in play that caused the prolonged dry spell leading to the drying up of Oitino Dam that supplies water to the district.

He adds that through the Marathon on 9th July this Saturday, they hope to raise funds and sustain supply of 10,000 seedlings annually to make Gulu green.
Meanwhile Housing Finance Bank has pledged to give 1,500 seedlings to be planted in Laliya Pimary School, Emmanuel primary School in Laroo division and Gulu Institute of Health Sciences.

Gulu Go Green Marathon is expected to be flagged off by the Paramount Chief His Highness David Onen Acana II who has also been at the forefront in the fight against massive tree cutting in the region.

The most affected areas with massive tree cutting especially for charcoal business are: Lujorongole in Lalogi sub county, Binya Parish in Odek Sub County, Omel parish in Paicho and Mede Parish in Palaro sub counties.

According to reports from the district, tree cutting activities have also massively started in the vast area of Aswa ranch that is being guarded by the army.