In a remarkable effort to protect and restore the life-sustaining River Rwizi, the sole source of water for Mbarara city and neighboring districts, Abahumuza Development Group, a non-profit organization, in collaboration with other development partners and corporate companies in Mbarara has organized the save River Rwizi marathon 2024.
According to Seith Murari, chairman of Abahumuza Development Group, the marathon slated 28th July 2024 at Booma grounds will be the third of its kind since its inception in 2022.
“This will be our 3rd marathon and this has improved community perception and behaviour towards environmental conservation. We have planted trees in Rwanyampazi, Kihumuro, Bishop Stuart University and do activities that conserve water in the soil, and restored some swamps like Rwemigina wetland. We appeal to whoever has land where we can plant trees to contact us” Murari explained
He said that after such interventions, the Abahumuza group witnessed that River Rwizi water levels in the dry season repelled from 2 cubic meters to slightly 2.742 cubic meters thus challenging the public to sustain the tree planting campaigns.
“Our observation is that in the year 2023 River Rwizi water level has increased to 2.742 cubic metres during the dry season that never happened before so if all of us continue doing what we are doing, this river can be restored,” Murari said
This time around the marathon will be exercised under the theme “Women are stewards in sustainable utilization of water and environment resources empowering the girl child in conservation” thus challenging women and girls to come in big numbers to join the marathon, he says.
Murari said that protecting River Rwizi is not a one-person activity thus appealing to the people of Mbarara, local leaders, and other humanitarians to be part of the campaign to save River Rwizi.
“We want to call upon individuals, corporate companies and organisations, people in the private sector, politicians, ministries and other environmental entities to partner with us in the campaign to save River Rwizi because as Abahumuza group, we cannot restore the degraded River Rwizi alone we need an affirmative action towards this campaign.” He explained
Murari mentioned illegal economic activities like uncontrolled sand mining, bricklaying, constructions on its buffer zone, and disposal of waste in the river plus other agricultural activities affecting River Rwizi.
Mirro Suleiman, Project Manager Abahumuza Development Group, said that the marathon is meant to create awareness for the people who are infringing River Rwizi with different activities.
“We run to show the people in the region the importance of River Rwizi and also to mobilise funds to do activities like tree planting, scaling down the project of underground waste bunkers to collect about 450 tons of waste per year to minimise plastic waste disposal which end in River Rwizi whenever it rains” Suleiman explained
He reported that several people have encroached on River Rwizi and carried out activities that have destroyed banks exposing it to silting and reduction of water levels.
Suleiman added that the officials and entities entitled to the protection of the environment and water bodies have not played the role of protecting River Rwizi from encroachment.
“They just sit in offices, eat bribes, get paid their salaries and go home when the only river in Mbarara is facing extinction.” He said
Fred Bagonza, regional National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) officer of south western region said the authority has less staff compared to the workload challenging the government to increase the staff members to be able to get rid of people interfering with the environment.
