Cities, municipalities, and division mayors across of areas surrounded by lake victoria are leading a significant campaign of ensuring sustainable and effective utilisation of national resources in Uganda and across the region for a better future.
Under their umbrella, “Lake Victoria Regional Local Authorities Cooperation (LVRLAC), the local leaders converged at Jinja City Hall on Friday to for their 19th Annual General Assembly to review and strategize for the effectiveness of the campaign.
Operating in the three East African countries that house lake Victoria and River Nile, LVRLAC, which was established in 1997, has regional chapters like the Uganda Chapter that are facilitated and funded by the mayors. Authorities say the Organisation recently had embarked on empowering learners in schools, building hospitals and schools, among others.
Headed by Emmanuel Sserunjoji, the group advocates for the preservation of Lake Victoria and other water bodies around Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Serving as the Mayor of Kawempe Division in Kampala, Sserunjoji who also doubles as the second Vice person at the regional level, elaborates that LVRLAC has an overall objective of mobilising and facilitating member local authorities in Lake Victoria basin and its catchment area.
It aims at working towards coordinated and sustained utilisation as well as strengthening governance systems and structures in LVRLAC secretariat and its member local authorities.
“In the recent years, we witnessed a significant increase of concern with the utilisation of national resources and with the conservation suffering from the impact of an expanding society with an ever more sophisticated technology at its disposal,” Sserunjoji stated.
He added that; “Even so, we still have a long way to go and only through a joint effort we will be able to reach our fundamental goal which is sustainable development at utilisation of these resources, in case particularly Lake Victoria and its catchment.”
The Organisation, according to Sserunjoji has since its establishment collaborated with several institutions such as Buganda Kingdom, Urban Economic Forum where Uganda was tasked to to bring other countries on board like Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Somalia among others to be able to tap into the funding.
Sserunjoji is disappointed with some unconcerned individuals who have polluted the lake by their economic activities. He described them as enemies of environmental conservation and called for urgent action against the untouchables.
“We have a one Sudir in Kampala and around. He is a dangerous man when it comes to environmental conservation. We are soon declaring him as the enemy of Lake Victoria following his activities that affect the lake,” he noted.
On top preserving Lake Victoria and River Nile, LVRLAC is also undertaking the role of greening the region with an initiative of planting trees, which Sserunjoji believe that the move shall combat the effects of climate change such as Globe warming.
Jinja City Mayor, Peter Okocha Kasolo says it is the responsibility of leaders to ensure the sustainability of the lake instead of polluting it. He emphasised that lake Victoria has mostly faced pollutions from Ugandans who dump sewage, bottles, and other waste products in the waters.
“It is upon us leaders to ensure that Lake Victoria is preserved. Other countries that are using this lake are really utilising it well but we it comes to Uganda, everyone does what they want,” said Kasolo.
