No Excerpt
Environmental experts have urged Uganda to strike a balance between rapid development and conservation efforts, warning that failure to do so will lead to dire consequences for future generations.
The caution was raised during the Uganda Golf Club’s (UGC) renowned Wednesday Club Night, a cherished event for its community focus.
Victor Nahabwe, Senior Manager of Environment and Field Operations at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), emphasized the critical need for sustainable development.
“As we develop as a country, we must strike a balance between environmental conservation and development,” Nahabwe remarked. “It makes no sense to focus solely on today’s growth while future generations bear the consequences of lost environmental resources.”
He warned that ignoring these issues will worsen health crises, reduce biodiversity, and jeopardize critical resources like clean water.
Nahabwe also highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in preserving green spaces, particularly in cities where air pollution, driven by vehicular emissions, poses severe health risks.
“Environment conservation is everyone’s responsibility. The House of Jazz alone cannot achieve much without the involvement of other stakeholders,” Nahabwe stated.
He underscored the need for sustained partnerships to protect urban green spaces, describing current efforts as “a work in progress.”
Nahabwe credited the green belt within the UGC for improving air quality in its vicinity, mitigating health risks for residents in nearby areas like Nakasero.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining proper water flow systems to prevent the contamination of vital water sources like Lake Victoria.
“The green space here has helped significantly. Without it, the neighboring communities would face increased health issues related to air pollution,” he said.
During the event, the House of Jazz handed over proceeds from its Save the Lungs of the City campaign to the UGC.
The campaign, launched on September 8, aimed to spotlight the environmental importance of preserving Kampala’s green spaces and rally support for sustainable urban development.
Jackie Kaluletwa-Kakiza, co-founder of House of Jazz, expressed gratitude for the partnership with UGC and celebrated the campaign’s success in raising awareness about Kampala’s largest green belt.
“We are truly honored to be part of this initiative,” Kaluletwa-Kakiza said. “In less than 40 days, we aimed to ignite a sense of urgency about the environmental crisis we face.
She described UGC as a rare environmental treasure among regional capitals, emphasizing the need to preserve Kampala’s natural beauty for its appeal to visitors and its ability to foster pride among residents.
“Our goal was to reignite awareness and urgency among the public and policymakers. We are sitting on a ticking time bomb that we can no longer ignore,” she remarked.
UGC Vice Captain Jerry Owachi described the golf course as “the lungs of the city,” underscoring its ecological significance.
“The golf course provides a huge service, unassumingly, to everyone in the city,” Owachi noted.
“It cleans a lot of emissions from vehicles, both big and small, and offers the only surviving sequestration capability in Kampala. If you compared the number of trees here to other parts of the city, you’d realize we host the majority.”
Owachi highlighted the golf course’s role as a habitat for various species of flora and fauna, humorously referring to the marabou storks as “frequent visitors hosting summer parties on the grounds.”
He reiterated UGC’s commitment to protecting and expanding its green spaces, calling on stakeholders and policymakers to recognize their critical role in ensuring a sustainable future for Kampala.
“The event was not just about golf; it was about sustaining an important part of the city’s ecosystem,” Owachi explained.
“Golfers, in their play, are actively helping to maintain a vital resource that Kampala needs to survive.”