AfricaPress-Tanzania: The Lake Victoria Basin Board in collaboration with the people of Kwibusye Village, Rorya District in the region have planted about 1,500 tree seedlings at the Mwitore water source, in an effort to maintain the source and continue to provide reliable water and sanitation services to community members.
Speaking on behalf of Mara Regional Commissioner Adam Malima, Rorya District Commissioner Simon Odunga urged the people to stop cutting down trees and setting fire to the mountains to protect water sources.
He said the Water Department had recently invested more than Sh140 million in water supply as many areas are facing water shortages due to environmental degradation caused by human activities.
“Teach your young people to know that cutting down trees carelessly is a curse, stop burning in the mountains, we will find out if he has done that we will take strong legal action against him including paying fines,” said Odunga.
Water Officer, Mwita Mataro said Mwitore’s water source is a spring that was previously threatened with extinction but survived by the efforts of the government and various stakeholders to put up a fence to prevent damage to the animals.
He said the tree planting initiative in the area is a continuation of the efforts of stakeholders including the Lake Victoria Basin Board, to protect the resource by improving its environment as it provides services to at least 2,000 citizens.
One of the Kwibusye residents, Mariam Chacha, said they had previously used water and wildlife as well as livestock, a situation that endangered the health of the people.
He said the construction of the fence has saved their health as now no animal of any kind enters the water source.
“It became a human waste to use a water source and animals. Even the deforestation was difficult because the area was open all the time unlike now where the fence is surrounded. We will work with the government and stakeholders to ensure that this source is protected at all times, “he said.
Another resident, Spora Charles, said before the source was improved by fencing, access to water became increasingly difficult during the dry season as both humans and animals depended on the same area.
“That is, you draw water here, where cows or goats also drink water. But since the fence is set, we take the animals out and separate them from the fence. ”
He said the people are grateful for the efforts made by the government in collaboration with stakeholders, ensuring they have access to clean and safe water at all times and pledged to provide adequate cooperation to protect the source.
