Muyenga in Kampala: Area Landscape Analysis
It is located on a hill with gentle slopes on every side of it and surrounded by swamp areas(water-logged areas). The whole area stretch is about 4 square kilometers and 5 kilometers from the city center. It is accessed through tama ked roads with good water channels. When stood on the top of this area you can have a clear view of the whole underneath surrounding areas with a clear city view.
Part of this area is rocky with a shrub type of vegetation coverage. The other sections of this area are sandy with savannah kind of vegetation and tall tresses.
On the other side of this hill there is another swamp with a wide coverage of papyrus vegetation stretch up to the clear water lake (Lake. Victoria)
What Is Going On
This area is sub-divided into several developments and several activities are taking place. On the top of this hill, there is located one of the biggest city water supply tank.
There is a section of this area that is developed in a residential housing estate. Houses in this section of this area maintain good gardens with trees in compounds.
The section which has rocks have been developed into quarries (stone mining and cutting) and some building sand mining. The other side of this area which has the papyrus vegetation coverage, has been partly conserved for green belt by the national environmental management authority (NEMA). This meant that there are no activities/developments allowed in this section before the approval of this institution.
Other down hill areas have been gazette in to industrial areas, and there are also some unplanned housings (slums) in this industrial area.
What Fits Together
The development of this area into a residential housing estate is ok since a tree planting is maintained and green grass in compounds. The section of this area which has the rocks to be developed in a quarry was also fine. The conservation of the green belt (wet land) was fantastic. The maintain ace of Tama ked roads with good water channels also fits because this act prevents soil erosion.
What Does’t Fit
The development of some parts of the swamp into the industrial area did not fit, because swamps act as natural water filter and purifiers. You know water from factories and industries and other activities in the city is highly polluted. So there is a need for swafor water purification before it gets into the lake. When polluted water goes straight in the lake it causes a high risky of living water spices endangerment . This can also cause high rates of pipeline water purification. Secondly it is not healthy to establish factories and industries near to residential areas. There is a standard distance to be maintained.
The encroachment of peasants on the gazette greenbelt also didn’t fit. The drainage of swamps for other activities like unplanned housing (slums) also doesn’t fit
Speculate What Happened
Geographically it is said that this area falls into the category of a plateau. It is speculated to be having formed by either weathering or up and down warping. A plateau some times called tableland, is a large stretch of land with approximately similar heights above sea level. (Tamale.E. Geography in the new era 1997)
It stands out higher than surrounding areas or in form of a wave kind of formation with its sides slope down to the lower lands.
A plateau compared to an elevated plain, bears a very big difference between the two.
With a plateau, valleys are narrow, deep sometimes with steep sides, yet for a pain there are broad with big stretches. The rivers in a plateau are swift and carve deep compared to those in plain.
Plateaus are always high (height above sea level) compared to plains.
(Morgan. Advanced geography for secondary schools.2001)
It is thought that plateaus were formed as a result of wearing down of higher mountainous areas or by the process of denudation. And if this continues to be effective, the whole plateau might be reduced to near a plain’s height.
(Tendo.L.Modern geography 2002)
What Is Currently Happening
The fact that this area is considered to be a plateau. This area is greatly exploited by man’s activities which are a threat to its sharp and future existence.
The terracing of the area for leveling building sites, cutting down of trees and drainage of swamps and wetlands is going on in this area.
Industrial wastes and polluted water goes direct in the clear water lake—the brokerage of water channels and encroachment in wet lands for peasant farming and unplanned housing.
What Might Happen
If all these activities mentioned above are not controlled there is a possible flooding that might take place. The act of stone cutting and mining causes a great threat to this area (plateau) weathering down in to plain in future.
The act of gazette swamp to industrial areas causes a big threat to the lake water pollution and thus high costs of pipe line water purification.
Also industries to be located near residential areas are a very big threat to the health of the people.
Encroachment on the wetlands and clearing of the papyrus vegetation is a possible threat of reduction of water levels in the lake.
Evaluation
My opinion about this is, first I would appeal to the concerned to maintain not only for this area but a national tree planting campaign. This can ensure conservation of soil and reduction of erosion.
I would discourage industrialization of swamps and wetlands to maintain a steady and healthy stretch of the green belt. This can help ensure a good natural purification of polluted water before it gets in the freshwater lake. This thus can also reduce on the cost of pipe line water treatment and purification.
I would support the national environment management authority in its struggle to conserve the environment.
Every strategy put in control, we can preserve and conserve our environment.
Reference list
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Tamale.E (1997). Geography in the new era(pp.72-75)
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Moorgan.D. (2001) Advanced geography for secondary schools(pp.45-47)
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Tendo.F. (1998).Morden geography.JB publishers 1st edition(pp.57-60)
