Minister for Water and Environment Maria Mutagamba of Uganda

Kampala ENVIRONMENT minister Maria Mutagamba has set up a parallel intelligence team to expose people destroying forests within the Lake Victoria basin.

Mutagamba said forests around the shores of Lake Victoria were being destroyed without adequate intervention from the lead institution governing forests.

conferences in hopes of bringing sanitation and water into the global spotlight.

Ms Mutagamba was moved by the images and said that the children.

Mutagamba expressed dismay that some people judge the HIV statuses of others by the way they look.

Environment minister Maria Mutagamba received the award from African Union representative Dr.

Mutagamba said Uganda was the only country in Africa with a wetlands inspection division in addition to the 10 internationally recognised Ramsar sites.

on the proposed land use change in part of the forest.

organisations, local governments and the local communities in the area.

Outlining the challenges facing Africa in the provision of water and sanitation, Mutagamba said the issue was two-fold: In rural areas there is increased poverty because of low productivity as a result of prolonged drought, climatic changes and degradation of the land.

Mutagamba says an estimated 40 billion hours is spent each year by women walking to collect water in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mutagamba says providing water, water systems and taps is just one ingredient.

Ugandan water minister Maria Mutagamba said she had reached “full” understanding with Egypt on sharing the waters of the Nile in talks in Cairo on Monday, after her government demanded a revision of colonial treaties giving Cairo the lion’s share of Nile water.

Mutagamba was speaking at a joint news conference with Egyptian irrigation and water resources minister Mahmoud Abu Zeid, where she stressed they had reached a complete agreement over the controversial issue.

Hard-pressed to explain the Cabinet insistence to give away Mabira Forest, the Minister for Water and Environment, Ms Maria Mutagamba said nobody can push her to give away the forest.

Environment minister Maria Mutagamba said the evaluation process was going on and the evictions could kick off in March.

Mutagamba said when she met the President over the matter last week, she gave him a report on the tree planting programme.

Commenting on Kitubulu forest reserve in Entebbe where developers own land titles, Mutagamba said she had written a protest letter to the lands ministry.

forest sector pending an inquiry into the excessive cutting of trees.

public and environmental institutions.

been written, in line with the legal requirement, Mutagamba said yesterday.

such as land being offered by Buganda Kingdom and the Church.

have to buy the land itself from small-holders.

Harriette Onyalla writes that Mutagamba was supposed to be among the nine panellists presenting papers at the roundtable on improving governance in the management of natural resources.

Mutagamba said her Ministry together with the Ministry of Finance and Kampala City Council have started a campaign to ban the use of Polythene bags (buveera) of less than 30 micrones, in the country as it was done in Rwanda.

Mutagamba says that the current climatic conditions have brought about shortage of water, which is a very important source for economic growth.

Mutagamba said that combining knowledge and forming a task force had been very useful in Uganda.

Maria Mutagamba is Minister of State (Water) of Uganda and President of the African Ministerial Council on Water.

Maria Emilly Lubega Mutagamba is Minister of Water and Environment of Uganda.

Born in the Gamba-Kakuuto-Rakai district of Uganda, Ms Mutagamba received her college degree from Makerere University and began her professional career as a research officer for the Bank of Uganda.

At the 4th World Water Forum (Mexico City, 1622March 2006), Ms Mutagamba said that Africa was being held hostage by its hydrology, which was preventing Africans from improving their living conditions.

On the declining water levels, Mutagamba said more reserves will be built to avert the crisis.