A SHORT MBALE FLOODS CASE STUDY

A SHORT MBALE FLOODS CASE STUDY

A short case study about the 2022 Mbale floods that happened in Mbale on the 30th of July 2022 due to the heavy rains that ravaged some parts of Mbale. First and foremost, this had never happened in Mbale leaving the fact that heavy rains have always occurred but without causing heavy negative effects. The Eastern parts of Uganda; Kapchorwa, Bulambuli and all other upper parts neighboring Mbale City yearly receive the rains but with slight or no effects however the 2022 rains left behind the environment so much affected with heavy floods.

According to different sources, the main causes or the over flooding that claimed lots of lives and massive destruction in Mbale is the misuse of the environment.

People have constructed and cultivated right up to the riverbanks, and these were the most affected. Wetlands have been encroached on and that is a problem because when wetlands are intact, they at least help to control the pace of the water when it rains heavily, people's too much hunger for natural resources has grossly  led to imbalances in the nature elements that would be of greater importance during such times. For example the destruction of wetlands which act as water catchment areas. Since in our young ages we have been taught how trees are useful in our respective  environments and therefore  massive destruction of the trees on Wanale hill coupled with the over cultivation on the mountain areas that are not supposed to be used for agriculture weakened  the pillars of the Wanale water falls making it unable  for them to control the amount of water coming from falls

Construction on the banks of the streams where the water from the hills is supposed to pass , a case in example is the Nabuyonga stream of which on its banks is where the mighty Resort hotel Mbale is found, the former Livingston international university premises have been and currently still under use by different people with very many other people settling on the mountainous areas of Wanale hill, where people only cut down the trees, do constructions, use poor farming methods and dumping nature harming substances like plastics in the same environment

Some of the solution to the above problems need no science developments but rather the need for man to incorporate them in his or her mind so as to ensure flooding never happens again. A clean environment is everyone's right therefore, making it a personal responsibility to keep the environment clean and free from environment related problems becomes everyone's responsibility. Some of the simple measures we can associate ourselves with not to fall victims of the wrath of the environment like the floods in Mbale include;

1.Planting as many trees as possible and ensuring they are healthy

2. Stopping construction around the areas that play important roles in the environment for example wetlands

3.Stop dumping harmful chemicals and plastic items that damage the environment.

4.Using good agricultural methods i.e. Mulching and others

Human beings are not the owners of nature, but the guardians of it only and that if we don’t play our roles as nature's guardians, nature itself will teach us what nature is because whenever a river dies (or is killed by human beings), we do not realize that when one river dries up, a double amount of water is poured by the rain. Regardless of what we do for social and cultural reasons, we must protect the environment at the same time. We need to protect the environment so that global warming can be reduced. If no appropriate education and enforcement takes place, we shall continue having floods in some areas of Uganda

Stella K

Law Scholar

@EnvironmentSwitch.