Lubigi

Lubigi is a swampy wetland on the northern and western outskirts of Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda.[1]

Location

Lubigi forms an irregular semi-circle around the city of Kampala, starting at around Kisaasi to the north, stretching westwards, passing through Bwaise and Kawaala, then stretching southwards through Busega. The swamp has feeder arms that stretch along the Kampala–Mityana Road towards Buloba, along Kampala–Masaka Road towards Kyengera, along Kampala–Hoima Road towards Nansana and along Sentema Road that stretches from Mengo to Sentema. The Kampala Northern Bypass Highway is built in the wetland for more than half of its length. The Bwaise slum is entirely built within the Lubigi wetland.[2] The geographical coordinates of Lubigi wetland are:0°19'12.0"N, 32°31'12.0"E (Latitude:0°19'12.0"N; Longitude:32°31'12.0"E).[3]

Overview

Lubigi wetland is a very important water catchment area, serving the city of Kampala and the surrounding areas of Wakiso District. Rain water from the northern and western suburbs of the city drains, via underground aquifers and surface run-off, into the swamp, where it supports unique wildlife, including over 200 species of birds, one of which is the crested crane, the national bird. The predominant flora is papyrus grass.[4]

To the north, around Kisaasi and Ntinda, the wetland connects with the tributaries of Nakivubo Channel, another wetland that drains into Lake Victoria, southwest of Port Bell. To the south, around Busega, some of the water in the wetland drains southeast into Lake Victoria, while the rest flows northwest, along the Kampala–Mityana Road towards Buloba. West of Buloba, the flow turns northwards as a tributary of the River Mayanja, which forms part of Lake Kyoga drainage basin.[5]

Recent developments

In recent years, the wetland has come under severe strain from human encroachment. The government of Uganda has constructed three major projects in the wetland, contributing to its degradation:

• The Kampala Northern Bypass Highway, opened in 2009, was constructed through the wetland.[4]
• The high tension electric cables carrying power from the Kawanda substation to the Mutundwe substation pass through Lubigi. This 132 kilovolt power line was commissioned in 2012.[6]
• The National Water and Sewerage Corporation has constructed a sewage treatment plant in the middle of the wetland.[7][8][9]

Restoration

In March 2016, staff from Uganda's National Environment Management Authority began to forcibly remove gardens planted by encroachers with maize, cassava yam, banana, and sugarcane.[10]

See also

• Kampala Capital City Authority

References

1. ARO (23 February 2016). "A Rocha Uganda: Lubigi Wetland". Kampala: Arocha.org (ARO). Retrieved 23 February 2016.
2. Abimanyi, John (30 May 2011). "Wetland under siege". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
3. Google (23 February 2016). "Location of Lubigi" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
4. Abigaba, Zahra (27 April 2010). "Lubigi wetland faces extinction". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
5. Joseph Miti, Zahra Abigaba, and Juliet Kigongo (3 October 2010). "City wetlands vanish as government looks on". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
6. Musisi, Frederic (28 February 2014). "Transmission company to demolish structures built under power lines". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
7. Mugalu, Moses (30 March 2014). "Lubigi plant to tame Bwaise sewage". The Observer (Uganda). Kampala. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
8. Bwambale, Taddeo (29 March 2014). "Museveni commissions Sh53 billion Lubigi plant". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
9. Namagembe, Lilian (24 February 2016). "How Lubigi women have found gold in human waste". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
10. Tajuba, Paul (10 March 2016). "NEMA begins Lubigi wetland restoration". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 10 March 2016.

External lists

• The forgotten golden value of wetlands in Kampala