By Ainembabazi Patience and Arenaitwe Rebecca

River Katonga Swamp is a wetland area located in the Southwestern part of Uganda, East Africa. It starts from Lake Victoria and flows, first, northwards into Lake Wamala. The swamp is named after the Katonga River, which flows through it.

Katonga Swamp is an important ecosystem that provides a habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. It is considered an important birding area, attracting both migratory and resident bird species.

The swamp plays a crucial role in regulating water flow and maintaining water quality in the region. It also serves as a source of livelihood for local communities who engage in activities such as fishing and farming in and around the swamp.

Efforts have been made to conserve the Katonga Swamp due to its ecological significance, including designating it as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. Conservation initiatives aim to protect the biodiversity of the area and promote sustainable land use practices to maintain the health of the swamp ecosystem.

The Katonga Swamp had significant ecological and societal importance before it began to degrade. Here are some aspects of its importance before degradation:

• Biodiversity Hotspot: Katonga Swamp was once a thriving ecosystem with a rich diversity of plant and animal species. It served as a habitat for numerous bird species, amphibians, reptiles, and aquatic life. Many of these species were unique to wetland habitats, and the swamp likely supported a wide array of biodiversity.
• Migratory Bird Sanctuary: The swamp was an important stopover and breeding ground for migratory birds, attracting a variety of avian species during their seasonal journeys. This made it a vital area for birdwatchers and researchers interested in studying these migratory patterns.
• Water Regulation: The swamp acted as a natural buffer against flooding by absorbing excess water during the rainy season and slowly releasing it during drier periods. This helped regulate water flow and reduce the risk of downstream flooding.
• Water Quality Improvement: Wetlands like Katonga Swamp naturally filtered and purified water. They trapped sediments and removed pollutants, improving water quality in the region. This was particularly important for the health of rivers and streams downstream.
• Climate Change Mitigation: The swamp played a role in carbon storage, helping to mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon in its vegetation and soils.
• Hand craft economic activities: The swamp bears papyrus reeds which supports hand craft making that is mats, craft huts and bags.
• Fishing; As one of the mighty swamps in Uganda Katonga was well known for its giant mud fishing to the people in Lwera County and the rest of the place it covers.

Katonga swamp, a fragile ecosystem under threat

The Katonga swamp basin which covers over 238 square kilometres is undergoing serious encroachment by human activities such as sand mining and agriculture especially at Lwera swamp which is the main Katonga swamp along Kampala Masaka highway Uganda E.A.

One of the natives Mrs. Fatuma Lubowa says that rice growing here is one of the most cash source around the Katonga swamp and this drives us more into clearing the Katonga virgin marshy vegetation for rice growing. However this spoils the drainage system hence this becomes the root cause of the constant flooding of R.Katonga.

The 21-kilometre stretch of the Katonga wetland extending from Mpigi to Kalungu districts which also acts as L. Victoria catchment area has been heavily degraded by commercial sand mining activities.

Ssegawa Sentam the resident of Lwera however blamed the situation of using heavy machinery which he says were deliberately used to tamper with the drainage system which has led to irreversible effects.

With emphasis, the Katonga Swamp remains exposed to threats due to ongoing political maneuvering.

What can be done?

Amidst the loss of Katanga’s beautiful scenery to sand mining something should be done to keep biodiversity and its ecosystem.

One way is to reduce consumption of sand by optimizing the use of existing buildings and infrastructure, recycling building and quarry dust can be a substitute for sand.

Training of architects and engineers new laws and regulations, positive incentives are needed to initiate a shift for lowering our dependency on sand.

Alex Byaruhanga, a 35-year-old male resident of Lwera says that he is scared of the random sand mining along the Katonga swamp shores and more to that he says that the community is keen on biodiversity that is the swamp keeps dangerous animals like hippopotami and snakes.

He also continues to narrate about the reduction of bird numbers on the Katonga shores due to this sand mining.

He further calls upon the community and the government of Uganda to see through the dangers of act not the conditional advantages of sand mining.

In his words “I have been here for 35 years but if sand mining does not stop we might face a calamity that will never end”.

River Katonga bursts its banks

Following constant sand mining and large rice plantation farming on the Katonga swamp shores the river has lost its catchment pot (Katonga swamp basin) hence bursting/overflowing during heavy rains.

The floods at Lwera come after several warnings from several environmentalists about the dangers of degrading the wetland, which may include failing or sub-merging of part of Kampala – Masaka Highway.

There is hope for Katonga Swamp

According to a Worlds Economic Forum article, sand mining has tripled in the past two decades, with demand reaching 50 billion tonnes in 2019 alone. Experts contend that there is a need for the Ugandan government to implement regulated sand mining policies to minimise indiscriminate sand mining 

Also, there is a need for joint restoration efforts from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage to restore and preserve the Katonga swamp basin.

To address the increasing degradation of Katonga swamp ecosystems and to reduce resource use conflict which threatens its biodiversity,

There is need to create awareness, and education, setting up sensitization programs involving the communities and different stakeholders on the effects of open sand mining and land agriculture operations on swamps measures; diversification of the economy by setting alternative sources of income like fishing and even emphasising more growing of cover crops.

A super yes, Nothing is hopeless; there is still a chance to restore and preserve the past beauty of Katonga swamp.

This story was produced as part of the University Science Communication Competition for Africa 2023.