WAKISO.
Nansana Municipality authorities in Wakiso District have proposed bylaws that will help the natural resources department to monitor and combat environmental depletion activities in the area.
The proposal comes after launching other avenues of addressing climate change by the area mayor Ms Regina Bakitte. Through Bloomberg Philanthropies Climate Action funding, Nansana has so far received Shs549 million to implement youth-led climate projects.
“We have two bylaws under the pipeline, waste management and tree planting bylaws. Once approved , they will help us in the fight against environmental degradation,” she said, after launching the second round of Bloomberg climate action funds at Nansana Municipal headquarters on Monday .
Nansana received Shs183 million last year and Shs366 million this year to fund over 500 youth clustered in 30 groups to implement climate action projects. Each group of an average of 18 members received between Shs4m and Shs8million.
Mr Brian Matovu, an environment officer at Nsansana Municipality, said they are trying all avenues to restore highly degraded wetlands and is hopeful that the bylaws will help them reverse this worrying trend.
Under the tree planting bylaw, a person who cuts down a tree will be required to replace it with a new one.
“We are trying to spell out that it is a requirement for a person who cuts a tree plant more others . This is already in the National Tree Planting Act ,but as we are developing, we are coming up with punishments for these people,” he said, noting that these punishments have been proposed by community members.
He stressed that after seeking enough legal guidance, the municipality will then pass punishments of which includes paying a fine or even imprisonment.
“We have collected different punishments regarding contravention of these bylaws and we hope by the end of this year, we will have passed those bylaws.”he added
The waste management bylaw will advocate for zero littering in Nansana and ensuring every household owns a dustbin where they keep their garbage before private garbage collecting companies pick it.
Ms Nazareth Isabella Daaki,the chairperson of Maganjo Youth Group, said they were able to plant close to 300 trees in the first phase of the project and conducted sensitisation campaigns about climate change .
“In the second round, we are doing energy saving stoves which will not only help in conserving the environment ,but also skilling youth at the same time,” she said
The energy saving stoves use less charcoal compared to traditional stoves, an indirect implication of less trees cut for charcoal burning.
According to a report by Nansana Municipality, major wetlands are found in parts of Busukuma and Gombe Divisions along the North Eastern and Northern part of the Municipality. However, these wetlands have been highly reclaimed and put under intensive cultivation, excavation, industrial use and settlements.
Among the activities so far done to restore wetlands consist of mapping wetlands and forests, mobilization and sensitisation of local leaders on climate change, and supporting greening campaigns among others.