Govt To Demarcate Shipping Routes On Uganda Lakes

The commissioner, water resources planning and regulation, Dr. Callist Tindimugaya reveals plans by govt to start demarcating shipping routes on all lakes in the country following funding to a tune ofUSD.80M from the World Bank.

Callist says, the activity is to be done in collaboration with the ministry of works and transport under the Lake Victoria environmental management phase three programme geared at regulating activities done on the lakes.

The commissioner further reveals that activities like cage fishing, sand mining among others are being carried out on Uganda’s lakes noting that most of these activities are being done in poor dangerous areas on the lakes.

Routes on Lake Kyoga, Albert, Victoria and others are to undergo this programme yet to be approved by the end of this year and technocrats hope to kick start the demarcation works in 2020 and will go on for the next three years.

Ugandans always move on water with no clear and demarcated routes to use which has led to water accidents leading to loss of lives and property.

Uganda last carried out a serious hydrographic survey in 2007 and this involved measuring the depth of waters on Uganda’s lakes and with the coming of this process next year will give Ug9andans who sail on lakes clear routes where to pass.

The last serious water accident the country witnessed involved the sinking of MV-Tempralast year near Mutima beach in Mukono leaving over 30 lives lost with few survivors.

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