ARUA CITY CONDUCTS COMMUNITY DRIVES TO RESTORE, PROTECT RIVER EGA WETLAND BUFFER ZONES

By Onzoma Albert

Arua City

The Arua City Environment Department, in partnership with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), is actively working to demarcate and protect River Ega, a major tributary of River Enyau. This initiative aims to restore degraded wetland buffer zones by halting illegal encroachment, sand mining, and agricultural activities.

The demarcation is part of a broader city-wide effort to save River Enyau, the primary water source for Arua. Eviction notices and warnings have been issued to anyone conducting illegal activities within the river’s 30-meter buffer zone.

Favorite Edeti, the Arua City Environment Officer for Ayivu Division, commended the Alivu Ward community, where River Ega joins River Enyau, for welcoming the initiative to demarcate the wetland zone.

“River Ega is one of the important tributaries of river Enyau that supports the large volumes of water which benefits our community of Arua City, the community members here were very positive about the policy that is coming in their area of demarcating river Ega wetland zone so that when they are going to do any development on their land they will be safe as they accepted to work with us” he said.

Hon Agnes Maturu, the female councilor of Alivu Ward, also supported the effort and believes community members will implement the advice from environment officers and NEMA officials to conserve the river’s buffer zones.

“The community members turned up in large numbers that’s my pride as a community leader and they were happy because they got a lot during the awareness creation simply because they did not know something about environment conservation and they were just using the wetland anyhow, the community members were happy about what the officials told them and they are going to replicate on what has been shared with them” she said.

Martin Adroa, the clan leader of Mutu-Alivu, appealed to the Alivu Ward community to comply with the directives, emphasizing their importance for protecting long-term water availability and flood resilience in Arua City.

“Our people were allowed to plant things like greens along the buffer zones without disturbing the water source, illegal sand mining along the rivers buffer zones has been prohibited by authorities, meaning anyone planning to venture into sand mining should first seek for permission and guidance from the environment office” he said.

The Community Barraza’s will be conducted in all wards through which River Ega flows, including Alivu, Komite, Nyaracu, Urugbo, Driwala, Pokea, and Etori. Illegal activities like sand mining and farming have severely compromised water quality.

In response, authorities are installing gabions to reduce runoff pollution and planting bamboo along the banks to control siltation. Officials are working closely with local leaders to enforce the directives.

Residents with unauthorized structures or plots within the designated zones are being verified, with plans focused on restoring the wetlands as a public good.