By Mukembo Wilfred
The swelling waters of Lake Victoria have wreaked havoc on lakeside communities, submerging homes, inundating businesses, and forcing residents to flee for safety. Reports from affected areas paint a grim picture of displacement and uncertainty as the lake reaches unprecedented levels, surpassing historical records.
“We last registered this kind of rise in water levels at Masese in 1997, but it didn’t reach this level,” lamented Bumaali Kidoma, a member of the affected community, echoing the concerns shared by many facing the deluge.
According to the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, the water level in the lake surged to a new record of 13.42 meters in May 2020, eclipsing the previous high of 13.41 meters recorded in 1964. Subsequent years witnessed further increases, with the 2021 level peaking at 13.32 meters. The recent escalation, exacerbated by intense rains over the past five years, has triggered alerts from government agencies to lakeshore communities during the region’s long rainy season from March to June.
The repercussions have been severe, with floodwaters inundating farmland, displacing tens of thousands of people, and swamping entire markets like Masese, which now lies submerged. Unconfirmed reports suggest that similar predicaments are unfolding on nearby islands, pushing inhabitants to seek refuge on the mainland.
Desperate for assistance, locals are appealing to the government for aid, particularly in securing food supplies as their gardens lie submerged and homes uninhabitable. Francis Magala, a local leader in Masese, implored the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness to intervene swiftly and alleviate the suffering of affected communities.
Dr. Winnie Nkalubo, director of the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI), attributed the rising waters to torrential rains across the Lake Victoria basin, fueled by numerous rivers and tributaries from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Despite the hardships faced by communities, Dr. Nkalubo anticipates a potential silver lining, foreseeing an increase in fish stocks, especially Tilapia, as the expanded lake shores offer fertile breeding grounds.
As experts warn that current water levels have surpassed historical records, reaching up to 14 meters onto the mainland, the plight of lakeside communities underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to mitigate the impact of the unfolding crisis.
