The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and members of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Bukasa Parish have joined efforts to plant trees along Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Road as part of efforts to protect the environment and improve the quality of life in the area.
The tree-planting exercise was led by Makindye mayor Yasini Omari, who said protecting the environment should be a shared responsibility involving both government agencies and communities.
Omari, who is also a resident of the area, said communities should take environmental protection seriously because the effects of climate change are increasingly being felt in different parts of the world. [WATCH VIDEO]
He cited rising temperatures in some parts of the world as a warning of what could happen if environmental degradation is not addressed.
“We have witnessed what happens in some parts of the world where temperatures rise to very high levels, sometimes causing fires. Here in Uganda, we should work together to ensure that we do not reach such a situation,” Omari said.
He urged residents to protect the newly planted trees and warned that people found deliberately destroying them could face legal action in accordance with the law.
Representing the Dawoodi Bohra community, Hussein Qamar said the group joined the exercise to raise awareness about the importance of protecting existing trees and planting more to support a healthier environment.
Qamar said trees play an important role in maintaining clean air and supporting human life.
“When you plant trees, you contribute to saving lives because trees help provide the oxygen that human beings need. We therefore need to protect the trees we already have and plant more,” he said.
The LC chairperson for Mugalu Zone in Muyenga, Muwonge Mukasa, welcomed the initiative and called on residents to support the environmental campaign.
Mukasa said local communities would be encouraged to take responsibility for maintaining the trees and ensuring that they grow to maturity.
“We are going to sensitise our communities so that they understand the importance of maintaining the trees that have been planted,” he said.
NEMA spokesperson William Lubuulwa urged residents to take greater responsibility for protecting their surroundings instead of leaving environmental conservation entirely to government agencies.
He said communities have an important role to play in keeping their neighbourhoods clean, protecting trees and preventing activities that damage the environment.
The exercise forms part of wider efforts by NEMA and other stakeholders to promote environmental conservation and encourage communities to take an active role in protecting their surroundings.
The organisers said maintaining the planted trees will be important if the exercise is to deliver long-term environmental benefits to residents of Bukasa and surrounding areas.
