Masindi MP urges collective action in fight against climate change

26 October 2025, 3:52 pm

By James Muhumuza

Fighting climate change through environmental conservation is a collective responsibility that demands urgent attention, the Bujenje County Member of Parliament in Masindi district, Mr Kenneth Kiiza Nyendwoha, has said.

The legislator cautioned that ignoring the effects of climate change will lead to a global crisis, particularly affecting future generations.

He attributed this growing threat to continued environmental degradation despite numerous appeals for sustainable practices.

“If neglected, climate change will become a global insecurity that will mainly affect the next generation. Some people’s adamancy to stop environmental destruction is worsening the situation,” he observed.

Mr Nyendwoha emphasised the need for vigorous awareness campaigns targeting all stakeholders including parents, teachers, and children to promote environmental conservation, tree planting, and proper land management as long-term solutions to mitigating climate change.

He advised environmental activists to educate communities about the interdependence between biodiversity and human life, likening it to an “intricate web that maintains balance and supports life.”

“Everyone has an equal role to play in the fight against climate change since it is real and a big threat to all life. This can be done through planting trees and keeping the environment free from pollution.

People should be compassionate to the environment,” Mr Nyendwoha said.

The MP noted that the effects of climate change are already evident in the form of water scarcity, recurrent droughts, and destructive storms.

“Many people now face threats of inadequate water on a regular basis. Incidents of drought are on the rise in most regions of the globe, stirring sand and dust storms that expand deserts and reduce farmland,” he added.

Nyendwoha called for urgent and collective efforts to combat climate change through tree planting, especially in Masindi district, where the Kabaango Women’s Conservation Group has taken the lead in raising tree seedlings to mitigate the crisis.

Operating on a one-acre piece of land donated by the MP in 2023, the women’s group supplies tree seedlings across the district with support from the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI).

The group’s chairperson, Ms Gorret Obonyo, said the women launched the initiative after observing rapid loss of tree cover in Masindi due to expanding sugarcane plantations for commercial processing.

“With 62 active members, we raise indigenous tree species such as musizi, mahogany, muvule, and prunus africana, which are known for their environmental benefits,” Ms. Obonyo explained.

“We also raise cocoa and coffee seedlings to help farmers improve their livelihoods.”

Since its establishment, the group has distributed over 160,000 seedlings to farmers, contributing to the restoration of Kasubi Wetland in Kabaango village.

However, Ms Obonyo noted that inadequate funding and limited capacity-building opportunities continue to hinder their operations.

Mr Nyendwoha urged other Ugandans to emulate such initiatives, emphasising that environmental conservation must be embraced nationwide to safeguard the country’s largely agricultural economy.

“Protecting the environment is not just for one district or one group—it is for every Ugandan. Our survival depends on it,” he said.