KASESE INKS NEW MOU ON CLIMATE ACTION

By Isaac Mumbere

KASESE

Kasese District Local Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) aimed at developing the district Climate Action and Mitigation Plan.

Signed today morning at Sandton Hotel in Kasese town, the two – year Memorandum of Understanding mandates Reproductive Health Uganda to among other things strengthen community resilience towards the efforts of climate change.

Kasese district has for many years suffered the effects of climate change leading to loss of lives of people and destruction of property in a number of sub-counties.

Mrs. Annet Mugabe Kyalimba, the Director at Reproductive Health Uganda explained that the signed Memorandum of Understanding would guide the implementation of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for women and children in the district amidst the challenges related to disasters.

Mrs. Kyalimba stressed that they were facilitating and supporting the District Climate Action Plan for the mitigation, adaptation of the effects of climate to the population.

She also revealed that they would involve the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu to put in key aspects of divulging cultural attributes to include in the Climate Change Action Plan.

The Kasese District Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Eriab Begumya Ntarwete, who signed the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of Kasese District Local Government, urged the stakeholders to be proactive in the process of implementing the development of the Action Plan.

Mr. Stephen Bagonza, the acting Kasese District Health Officer, said he was happy that the Memorandum of Understanding would help in the health improvement of women and children during and after the occurrence of disasters.

Hon. Geoffrey Baraka Kanyonyi, the Spokesperson of Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu, described the programme as vital to the Kingdom’s subjects because of the continued occurrence of some disasters and the negative effects of climate change.

Kanyonyi revealed that the Cultural Institution was focusing on planting of indigenous tree species on the Rwenzori Mountains in an attempt to restore nature.

Jennet Masika, the Head of Livelihood Department at Kima Foods, who was part of the participants at the meeting, urged the stakeholders to focus on the sustainable means of environmental conservation strategies.