CONCERN AS FARMERS DESTROY RESTORED BAMBOO ALONG RIVER CHEBONETI BANKS

KAPCHORWA:- A joint monitoring exercise conducted by the Kapchorwa District leadership and officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment to assess the progress of the River Cheboneti bank restoration project has revealed massive environmental degradation.

local residents engaged in farming activities around the river have cut down and destroyed the bamboo trees that were recently planted by the Ministry to restore and stabilize the river banks.

The monitoring team comprised a high-level delegation, including:The Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr. Bayole Stanley The Deputy RDC, The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO),

The District Internal Security Officer (DISO), The LCV Chairperson, Sub-County Chiefs and LC3 Chairpersons and Technical officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment

Mr. Bayole Stanley and the Ministry officials resolved to intensify community sensitization on the importance of environmental conservation. The team also agreed to undertake a benchmarking study tour to districts like Kabale, where river bank restoration and management programs have been highly successful.

The district plans to roll out continuous educational programs for communities living near and utilizing River Cheboneti to ensure sustainable land-use practices.

RDC Bayole Stanley urged residents to maintain river bank reclamation practices, warning that the fast-eroding river banks are already threatening the structural integrity of houses built too close to the water.

The RDC cautioned farmers against planting heavy, inappropriate trees along the banks. He explained that during heavy rains, these trees are easily uprooted and washed away by the raging waters, directly risking the destruction of critical downstream infrastructure—including bridges worth UGX 2.5 billion.

The community was strongly urged to protect the remaining vegetation and actively plant more bamboo, which has the ideal root system to bind the soil without endangering local infrastructure.

The district leadership has vowed to work hand-in-hand with local LC3 chairpersons and sub-county chiefs to ensure that the encroachment stops and that the community actively participates in safeguarding the multi-billion infrastructure projects tied to the river's stability.

By Herbert Brown