Virunga Water Congress Launched to Tackle Landslides, Floods in Kisoro.

Bukimbiri County leadership has launched the Virunga Water Congress project aimed at reducing disasters such as landslides, floods, and soil erosion in Kisoro District.

The project was launched earlier this week in Kirwa Village, Kasharara Parish, Kirundo Sub-county, Bukimbiri County, during a pilot study.

Speaking during the launch, the Kirundo Sub-county LC5 Councillor, Bishubeho Louis, said the Virunga Water Congress is intended to encourage residents to construct water storage tanks or use tap lines to harvest rainwater from their homes.

Bishubeho said Kisoro is currently receiving heavier-than-expected rainfall following a prolonged dry spell that led to crop losses in gardens.

He said the project will ensure that rainwater flowing from homes is properly collected and stored to reduce the occurrence of landslides, floods, and soil erosion, as well as damage to crops.

Bishubeho called on the Kisoro District Local Government and international organisations to partner with the Virunga Water Congress to protect communities from disasters.

He said residents of Bukimbiri County and Nyarusiza Sub-county are frequently affected by disasters every year, adding that the problem should be addressed permanently.

Bishubeho explained that harvested water can also be used during the dry season, when there is prolonged sunshine and limited rainfall.

He also urged residents who have planted eucalyptus trees to uproot them and instead grow food crops to improve food security in their homes.

Meanwhile, the Kisoro District Environment Officer, Unice Akankwasa, welcomed the project, saying it could reduce the number of people affected by disasters every year if the community embraces the initiative.

Akankwasa encouraged residents living in permanent and semi-permanent houses with iron-sheet roofs to install water tanks and harvest rainwater instead of allowing it to flow freely and cause damage.

She noted that in the past, many people lived in grass-thatched houses, which helped regulate the movement of rainwater from rooftops to the soil.