NELSON K
Kashambya Sub-county LC3 Chairperson, Bandaganiire Elneho, has appealed for strong community participation in the conservation of Kantare Playground, which has been repeatedly affected by seasonal flooding over the past several years.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Boona FM today, Bandaganiire expressed concern over the worsening state of the playground in Kashambya Sub-county, Rukiga District. He noted that fast-moving runoff from the hilly cells of Nyaruhanga, Nyarugoro, Nyarubisi, and Kantare has been steadily eroding the facility every rainy season, leaving it in a deteriorating condition year after year. The damage, he said, has disrupted school sports competitions, community tournaments, and other public events that depend on the ground.
“Rukiga District is hilly and constantly battles erosion and flooding,” Bandaganiire said. “These environmental challenges have destroyed valuable resources across the subcounty. Homes have been damaged, feeder roads become impassable during heavy rains, crops and other agricultural investments are washed away, and in some cases, lives have been lost. The recurring disasters have placed a heavy burden on households and local development efforts.”
He revealed that despite several detailed reports submitted to relevant government authorities requesting intervention and long-term solutions, no substantive response or funding has yet been received. As a result, he said the subcounty is now encouraging communities to take the lead in protecting their environment and safeguarding key resources while awaiting broader government support.
Bandaganiire is urging residents to plant appropriate tree species on surrounding hillsides and catchment areas. According to him, the trees will help stabilize the soil, slow down surface runoff, reduce water speed and volume reaching lower areas, and ultimately protect infrastructure such as farmland, access roads, bridges, and Kantare Playground—the only facility in the subcounty hosting sports and inter-school events.
He further disclosed that the subcounty leadership has engaged the district environment technical team, which in turn coordinated with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). NEMA has reportedly responded positively and committed to supporting the initiative with 20,000 tree seedlings suited for hilly terrain and soil conservation.
Bandaganiire has therefore called upon residents of Nyaruhanga, Nyarugoro, and Rushekyera cells to participate in a mass tree-planting exercise scheduled for Wednesday. The exercise will focus on the most vulnerable slopes and waterways feeding into Kantare Playground, with the aim of reducing erosion and controlling flooding.
He emphasized that community involvement remains key to protecting local livelihoods and infrastructure. “Government support may take time, but the people of Kashambya cannot afford to watch their only playground and sources of livelihood being washed away by preventable floods,” he said.
