Busoga bishop calls for urgent conservation of key water bodies
The call was made by Busoga Diocesan Bishop Rt Rev. Prof. Grace Lubaale on March 28, 2026, at Jinja Rugby Grounds, where he officiated at the annual Nile Marathon.
Rt Rev. Prof. Grace Lubaale and Maama Claire arriving at the finishing point, during the 5km race during Nile Marathon to save River Nile and Lake Victoria. (Photo by Charles Kakamwa)
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Residents living around water bodies such as the River Nile and Lake Victoria, also known as Nalubaale, have been urged to conserve these natural resources, which were created and entrusted to humanity by God.
The call was made by the Bishop of Busoga Diocese, Rt Rev. Prof. Grace Lubaale, on March 28, 2026, at Jinja Rugby Grounds, where he officiated at the annual Nile Marathon.
Bishop Lubaale, who was also the chief runner, was accompanied by Mama Claire Lubaale and Rotary district governor Martin Kitakule.
After creating the water bodies and separating them from the land, Bishop Lubaale noted that God entrusted them to humanity, making it a cardinal duty to protect them diligently.
He added that among the measures people must take to ensure the safety of these water bodies is avoiding using them as dumping grounds and removing all garbage that is disposed of in them.
Bishop Rt. Rev. Prof. Grace Lubaale (third right) with some of the participants in the fourth Nile Marathon in Jinja. Second right is Sarah Lwansasula, the Jinja city woman MP-elect. (Photo by Charles Kakamwa)
The Bishop also announced that Busoga Diocese is committing 50 acres of land at Busoga College Mwiri for tree planting, adding that the acreage could increase to more than 100 over time.
Other speakers suggested that since Kyando is a religious tourism site, part of the land should be dedicated to tree planting to make the environment more conducive for prayer.
Kyando, located in Imanyiro subcounty in Mayuge district, is where Bishop James Hannington, an English Anglican missionary, was killed on October 29, 1885, on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga.
Emmanuel Njuki of Nile Breweries Ltd noted that dumping garbage in the River Nile and Lake Victoria affects industries by reducing both the volume and quality of water, which are key resources for factories in the area.
Njuki said this is why they have joined the Rotary Club of Jinja and the Rotary Club of Kampala Central in efforts to clean the water bodies and will continue supporting conservation campaigns.
More than 2,000 participants took part in the fourth Nile Marathon. Fifteen teams were schools, including two primary schools.