Laws that govern oil and gas in Uganda are outdated

Laws that govern oil and gas in Uganda are outdated

By Hope Mafaranga June 18, 2011

In Kabarole

The laws that govern the oil sector in Uganda are too weak and out dated, experts have said.

The manager of International Alert Uganda, Richard Businge criticized the oil bill saying that it is not clear on the issue of the oil and gas sector and how it will be contributing to the national development.

He added that Ugandan legal framework in the bill should form a bed rock for sustainable utilization of Uganda oil and gas resource.

“The bill should show how much our oil brings to our coffers and how it contributes to other sectors, which is not clear as per now,” Businge said.

Businge who was speaking during a regional dialogue series on oil and gas at Mountains of the Moon hotel in Fort Portal on Friday tasked the government to focus on benefiting the community around the oil areas so as avoid conflicts like in many African countries.

 Businge also lashed out at the parliament the law making body saying that they are “too green and ignorant” on issues that concerns oil and gas.

“We shall invite members of parliament and make them understand oil issues so  that  they can articulate issues from an informed point of view before debating and passing laws to do with oil,” Businge added.

He said that social issues like the percentage of local people who will be employed or participating in the exploration of oil should be clearly spelled out in the bill in terms of permissible levels of Ugandan citizen and company participation in each category of technical service provision.

“The local community is the one that carry the burden of oil exploration but are left out living them to object poverty,” he said.

On environment, Businge called for clear guidelines to be put in place establishing areas that cannot be directly accessed for oil development due to their environmental sensitivity.

“Areas which are habitants for birds that fly from Europe for summer, should not be directly drilled,” he noted.

Businge urged that the bill should prohibit companies from entering into private arrangement with land owners for the disposal of toxic waste and other pollutants.

He also accused the national environment watchdog, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) for failed to monitor the environment where it is dealing with locals only, they have failed to chase people from wetlands and have left wetlands to investors.

Alex Ruhunda the MP for  Fort Portal municipality urged Ugandans to focus on bridging the gap between Community Based Organizations and the government on issues pertaining Oil. 

Ruhunda said this will help the government to be checked on issues pertaining transparency and accountability in the Oil industry which he said will help to foster development.

However he said that oil being a very vital resource it does not mean Uganda has overcome the problem of poverty which is haunting many Ugandans.

“The discovery of oil is not the solution to poverty, and unemployment, we must work hard to fight it,” Ruhunda said. 

Ruhunda encouraged the people of Uganda to pick interest in the oil discovery and take the duty of advising the government on what they want it to for them.

Julius Mwanga the director Kabarole Research and Resource Center, a non governmental organizational operating in Kabarole urged the public to stop codenaming the discovery of oil in Uganda as a curse.

“Oil discovery is a blessing to Ugandans if well managed by all stakeholders. All we need is accountability and transparency and involve the locals,” Mwanga said.

However Rev Canon Nason Baluku wondered why information around the oil more confidential in Uganda compared to other discoveries.

End

Many Rivers dry up in Uganda as water scarcity hits the country

Many Rivers dry  up in Uganda as water scarcity hits the country

By Hope Mafaranga June 18, 2011

In Uganda

The water scarcity has continued to hit Uganda as many rivers, lakes and wetland dries up causing reduction in the water levels.

In western region of Uganda, Mpanga River which is the eighth biggest river in Uganda as listed in the National Environment regulation 2000 of the National Environment act.

It originates from  a catchment in Rwenzori Mountain  that are currently under high pressure  mainly due to deforestation of steep hills and ends in Lake George a distance of approximately 250 kilometers.

It is located in south western Uganda and it is part of the greater Lake George catchment zone.

The River meanders through three local Governments of Kabarole, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge serving a population of approximately Five million people who directly and indirectly derive a livelihood from this river.

The Kabarole district natural resource officer Sam Mugume said that the river also serves domestic and industrial water to Fort Portal and Kamwenge towns.

Mugume said that a hydro electric power dam to supply electricity to the region is being constructed at the lower end of this river as it approaches Lake George and also an irrigation scheme is being planned in Kamwenge.

“Hydro power projects have been constructed on Mpanga River which has completely reduced the level of waters I this river,” he said.

He explained that along its way from the Rwenzori to Lake George, Mpanga River goes through a number of different ecosystems and the river  that are very important for biodiversity survival in these ecosystems.

However, the river is vulnerable to abuse because of its location in a high population density area where the population depends on subsistence farming for a living and the fact that it is found in three different local governments makes its management difficult to coordinate.

He explained that the continued degradation of wetlands and small streams in this area is causing significant impact on the quality and quantity of water in River Mpanga and this has had remarkable impacts on the ecological biodiversity in the river basin and the surrounding environs.

“It has been established that the amount of water in the river has reduced significantly in the last ten years; the major cause for this decrease is increased reduction in the vegetation cover of the water catchment area, indigenous trees species along the river and the Rwenzori mountain slope that are part of the water catchment area have been cut leaving the hill tops and slopes bare and prone to heavy erosion and landslides,” Mugume said.

He noted that eucalyptus a high water consuming exotic tree species has been planted by many people along the river for economic gain despite the government’s regulation of preserving 100 meters width form all big rivers for natural vegetation. 

“Eucalyptus is a fast growing tree species which is well known for its capacity to drain and dry wetlands and rivers and therefore it advised that Eucalyptus be planted on hilltops as opposed to valleys. However this is not the case in most locations along river Mpanga,” he added.

He said that another major cause for reduction of the water in the river is the high level of wetland degradation in the catchment area.

He said that wetlands in the three districts of Kabarole, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge that are remnant of the mosaic wetland system of Western Uganda in the Albertine rift valley are being turned into farmlands by private developers despite the governments’ regulation on wetland use that forbids turning them into farmland.

“The degraded wetlands have therefore lost their capacity to act as water refining systems and water catchment areas leading to less water being preserved,” Mugume added.

 The river is Polluted

Mugume said that Mpanga River and its tributaries is heavily polluted with waste from towns and trading centers which located nearby the river.

Mugume said that the main visible wastes in the river are plastics and polythene papers and the major cause for this is the improper disposal of waste in trading centers and towns.

The river bed is also being silted as a result of erosion from gardens and poor soil management practices along the river.

Location and importance of Mpanga River

Part of the area is on the slopes of Mt. Rwenzori while the rest is on the flat lowland.

This area has great importance in terms of biodiversity conservation. The area includes parts of three National Parks; Kibale, Mt Rwenzori and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

According to International Union for Conservation of Nature,  ( IUCN) all of the three are highly known for their high numbers of endemic and red data species in terms of both flora and fauna. Mountain Rwenzori is a gazetted world heritage site while in Queen Elizabeth National park we have a Ramsar site at Lake George.

Kibaale National park is well known for the remaining wild chimpanzees, the endemic cycad which can only be found on the Mpanga falls and a high number of forest bird species.

Mpanga River goes through all the three national parks and it pours water in Lake George which is part of the Ramsar site. 

Experts from Water and Environment Ministry have said water from 13 per cent coverage of wetlands; the area has dropped to 11 per cent coverage in 15 years.
They said that urban areas and developing towns are the most prone to degradation due to exploding population and unregulated activities on wetlands.
“The situation will get worse if urban planners do not put strategies for the increasing population,” the Commissioner in charge of for etlands,  Paul Mafabi, said.
Dr William Muhaire of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation said encroachment on River Rwizi has greatly reduced the amount of water produced in the district with residents sometimes harvesting only mud from the river.

The Impact

The Kamwenge district environment officer Nickolas Magara told Science Africa Magazine that the pollution and reduction of water from Mpanga River is having significant impact on the quality and standards of life for people in Kabarole, Kamwenge and Kyenjojo districts.

He noted that the cost of purifying water for Fort Portal town, Kamwenge and Kyenjojo  has been increasing every year since 2000 due to increased pollution and silting of the river and in some areas there has been noted increase in water borne diseases.

The local population along the river use water directly got from the river for drinking, cooking and other domestic needs.

“The contamination of river Mpanga is highly affecting the health of these people and it is in their interest to ensure that the river is protected and water is clean,” Magara said.

A call for conversation

Magara said that these need to protect the water catchment area for the river from further abuse and also restoration for wetlands that are major source of water for the river.

He said that the protection of the river will lead to increased forest cover that will result into, increased soil protection, reduction in landslides and conservation of biodiversity including endemic species both flora and fauna. 

He noted that these need to put in more efforts in realizing the millennium development goals number seven  of “ensure environment sustainability” and number one “reduction of extreme poverty and hunger”.

End

Seeing mothers giving birth to HIV free children is my happiness- Mirembe

Seeing mothers giving birth to HIV free children is my happiness- Mirembe

By Hope Mafaranga  15, June,2011

In Uganda

Many refer to her as musawo (doctor) while others regard her as Senga (auntie) because of her effort in helping women to reduce the rate of mothers to child transmission of HIV/Aids and endless encouraging them to give birth in health facilities.

 Evelyn Mirembe a volunteer at Kagadi hospital in Kibale district said that she choose to care for mothers exposed to HIV after knowing her HIV status 15 years ago.

Mirembe discovered that she was HIV at a time when awareness about the epidemic was not enough and people could not talk about the disease openly and stigma was at its peak. 

Mirembe who was born in Bukulula in Masaka district in Central Uganda disclosed that she had to run away from home so that she hides away from people who knew about her status.

“I had to run away from home so that I will die in different area where no body knew about me and my body will be taken back home for burial,” she adds..

 Mirembe under went trainings by the International HIV/Aids Alliance in Kagadi she is responsible of counseling mothers before and after antenatal care.

She says that she knew, she was the one to help them and make a change in the lives of mothers living with HIV and help them have children free from HIV. 

“Children are at my heart, I love children so much and I know it’s me to help them from getting the deadly virus from their mothers,” Mirembe said.

The 42 year old, follows up mothers in her community as soon as she notices that a mother is pregnant and sensitizing women of preparation during pregnancy until giving birth.

“I teach them how to prepare early and encourage them to shop for the unborn babies because at times labour comes when there no cash to buy the items needed,” she says.

 Even when they give birth, Mirembe does not give up on them but follows up their children from the age of 0- 7 days and teach the mothers how to breastfeed, hygiene and general cleanness of the child.

 Mirembe also works as village health team and treat diarrhea, malaria and cough in children from the age of five and below.

 “ I have to know people who give birth in the community because its part of my task to advise  and teach the mothers on how to have give birth to health babies because I know a health child is every woman’s happiness,” she says. 

Exposed mothers

She takes her job with passion of a woman who has seen it all, telling mothers openly about the relevance of testing and knowing their HIV status while pregnant.

Through Counseling, Mirembe also calm down the fear of mothers about the virus and what the outcome of the test whether positive or negative and its implications.

Mirembe said that she follows up HIV positive expectant mothers when their pregnancies are eight moths, counselors them as a way of preparing them on how to go about giving birth to a health baby.

She encourages pregnant women on Antiretroviral (ARVs) to continue taking drugs to save their children from getting HIV.

“When a mother is HIV positive and on ARVs, I keep on monitoring her until she gives birth. At the time of delivery I have to make sure that she is given a tablet to prevent her baby from getting the virus,” she says.

Testimony  

Zaitun Birungi 23, a resident of Kagadi town council says that Mirembe helped her when she was five months pregnancy and she was malnourished and almost dying.

 “I was dying because, I was totally malnourished and had no blood but Mirembe enrolled me on drugs and diet I am now living and I have a health baby,” Birungi says.

Birungi said that when she gave birth, Mirembe took her baby for a dry blood spot (DBS) test to certain the Sero status of her child. DBS is an HIV test done in children below two months.

An inspiration to mothers living with HIV

 Rose Kemigisa a resident of Rugashari said that she had given up with life, when Mirembe disclosed her HIV status she started on medication.

“I am taking ARVs because Mirembe is also talking them. I know we resemble and have a similar problem so I find it easy to confine in her and share our experiences,” Kemigisa a mother of six said.

How she works

Mirembe identifies pregnant mothers from communities and talk to them in a friendly manner on the advantage of attending an antenatal care while the pregnancy is still young.

She also tells them on the danger of not delivering from health facilities.  She gives mothers information about safe delivery PMTCT.

Mirembe also go to schools and sensitize the youth about HIV/Aids and on radio to talk about HIV and every Tuesday s and Thursday s find her at the clinic.

Appeal  

Mirembe appeals to government and well wishers to come and help children orphaned by HIV and those living positively and heading families.

She says that Kagadi hospital has 320 children whop are accessing ARV. She however said that sometimes the hospital runs out of septrins and children can not afford to buy on open markets due to lack of money.

“Like now, we don’t have septrin, all children who wanted septrin have not taken and they will get next month. This exposed them to opportunistic diseases and affects their health as well,” she says. 

Her motivation

Mirembe’s most motivation is seeing HIV mothers delivering health babies and getting back on their feet.

Knowing that she is HIV positive and using it to make a change in people live keep her going and encouraged to help more people cop with the HIV virus.

   Achievements

Her duty has earned her friends and taken her to place and won her a certificate in recognition of her effort in the fight against HIV.

Mirembe also says that her duty has kept her busy and does not think about HIV.

       Helping others to copy with HIV.

 “Some people take drugs because of me,” she says.

She also got a sponsorship for her daughter to study nursing in Kibale district.   Challenges

Mirembe says that the biggest challenge is transport to get her to the hospital and other areas where she goes to talk to mothers because is a volunteer and is not paid any money to execute her duties. 

 She says it hard for follow patience in urban areas because some relocate to other rented houses while others go back to their villages to wait for their death. She says that in the rural areas, access to treatments becomes a problem challenge posing a health and live threats to mothers and their unborn babies.

End

Muslim women back condoms for HIV prevention

KASESE, 12 January 2011 (PlusNews) - Some Muslim women in western Uganda are demanding that a new HIV prevention programme for Muslims include condom promotion, going against calls by local religious leaders for the programme to be limited to messages on faithfulness and abstinence.

"The holy Koran allows Muslim men to marry four wives, but men still go out of wedlock and have extra-marital relationships," Jazira Mugisa told IRIN/PlusNews.

Mugisa said the money from the new project should be used to sensitize men on the use of condoms.

The four-year programme, localized to the western Ugandan district of Kasese and funded by the US Agency for International Development, is to be led by the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council. Local Muslim leaders have called for the funds - an estimated US$43,000 - to be used to promote fidelity within marriage and abstinence among unmarried people.

Uganda's national HIV prevention programme - which targets all sections of society - emphasizes abstinence, faithfulness and the correct and consistent use of condoms.

Sheikh Habib Mande, a religious leader from neighbouring Kabarole district, said condoms promoted immorality and went against the Koran's teachings. "The disease [HIV/AIDS] is spreading among the Muslim community because people have lost morals in society," he said.

Despite the women's calls, project officials say the campaign's main focus will be abstinence and marital fidelity.

"Our faith does not encourage the use of condoms as a preventive measure against HIV/AIDS but we are emphasizing abstinence and faithfulness among married couples," said Swaib Mushenene, project officer with the new programme.

Mushenene added that according to Muslim teachings, men intending to marry additional wives were required to discuss the decision with existing wives, offering an opportunity to discuss issues such as HIV testing before marriage and sexual fidelity afterwards.

Health workers in the area have called for greater sensitization of Muslim women to their vulnerability to HIV and ways to handle prevention in polygamous marriages.

I buy them [condoms] for him and place them where he can easily see them so that in case he wants to go out with other women, he can use them

"When HIV enters the family, it divides it, each one accusing the other of bringing the disease - it's worse when we are four women with one man," Mugisa said. "It would be easy to fight HIV as long as the man married to his four wives practised zero grazing [remaining sexually faithful to spouses]."

In the face of the continued refusal by Muslim leaders to accept condom use, some local women say they will do whatever they can to protect themselves. "We need to talk to our husbands and show them the dangers and impacts of HIV. We have to be open about condoms and encourage them to use them if they cannot be faithful," said Kate Kabatoro.

"I cannot come out and tell my husband to use condoms," Mugisa said. "But I buy them for him and place them where he can easily see them so that in case he wants to go out with other women, he can use them and protect us from getting the virus."

hm/kr/mw

Biowaste briquettes fuel drive to save trees

[KAMPALA] Banana stems, maize and other crop waste will be turned into charcoal briquettes in Uganda in an effort to reduce the number of trees chopped down for cooking fires.
The project, funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), will train 600 farmers across the country to make briquettes using portable metal kilns that can be moved between farms, according to Maxwell Onapa, deputy executive secretary of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST).
A lack of modern and affordable fuels, such as gas, electricity and solar power, makes wood charcoal and firewood the preferred sources of domestic cooking fuel, but this is damaging the environment through deforestation and soil degradation, said Onapa.
The kiln, which requires two people to operate it, takes about 20 minutes to convert 6–8 kilogrammes of biomass into 2–3 kg of char powder.
This is mixed with a binder in the form of starch paste to make briquettes, using a screw extruder, which can either be hand-operated or powered by a diesel engine or electric motor.
UNCST is implementing the project in collaboration with the Uganda National Farmers Federation and the Appropriate Rural Technology Institute, Uganda.
"The interest the technology generated among [the] 90 participants of the pilot training, and the lessons learned, shaped the design of this project," said Onapa. The project team aims to reach 600 participants in 20 of Uganda's 112 districts.
The IDB will fund 80 per cent of the training cost and supply of equipment, monitoring and evaluation, along with a share of the cost of research into developing charcoal manufacturing technologies, with the Ugandan government providing the remaining 20 per cent.
Frank Muramuzi, executive director of the National Association of Professional Environmentalists, warned: "The project may not be sustainable because if they run out of the agricultural waste to manufacture the charcoal briquette, people will go back to cutting trees."
But Jane Nalunga, a senior training officer at the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda, said that removing agricultural waste and turning it into energy will reduce soil nutrition. The project, she said, should focus more on training farmers to plant trees such as Pisonia which could increase nutrients in the soil and be used as firewood as well.
The project will begin once the Ugandan Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development signs a technical assistance project grant agreement with the IDB.

ACT treatment is too expensive

The government of Uganda wants people to use Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) for treating malaria but the treatment is too expensive and there’s not enough available of this medicine. 

Malaria is the leading cause of death in Uganda killing 70,000 to 110,000 people per year, mostly pregnant women and children below five years.
 

The World Health Organization strongly recommends to use Artemisinin Combination therapy (ACT), as a second line treatment after oral chloroquine fails to heal malaria.
 

Dr. Richard Ndyomugyenyi, Director of the malaria control program in the Ministry of Health said the Government of Uganda switched to ACT in 2005 after the malaria parasite became resistant to chloroquine.
 

But the problem is that ACT is very expensive. One dose costs between seven and twelve US dollars. Most people in rural areas, where malaria is the most severe, cannot afford this treatment. Thirteen percent lives on less than a dollar per day. 

And if they can afford, the availability is a big problem. Twenty percent of the public health clinics doesn’t have ACT. Eighty percent has, but run out of supply quickly in the malarious months of October, November and December. 

The Ministry of Health has received funds since 2007 but not enough to handle the demand, Ndyomugyenyi says. Due to this problem people are forced to seek medical ACT-treatment from private organisations - which is even more expensive - or use alternative drugs like chloroquine. That’s a pity because chloroquine is not the best option for treating malaria says Ndyomugyenyi. “When not mixed in the right proportions, chloroquine can be deadly. Due to poor training of lower level health workers to administer it through injections, we are moving away from that medicine. We prefer ACT-injections’. 

The government lobbies now to get more funds for this medicine. ‘ACT is thirty times more effective than chloroquine and is currently the only way to beat severe malaria in our country.