When climate change means ACTION

It’s 2009. Famine, drought, water shortages – have been making the news in Kenya the last several weeks.

Last week I returned to my flat to be greeted by terrible murky brown water running through the taps. I was not amused!!! I summoned the caretaker to explain my rather unpleasant experience. His response, “Madam, I am sure you have heard that the dams have run dry. Akuna mvua”. No rain.

As a water expert and a person working on climate change related matters – surely I should have known better. Yes Kenya has been experiencing an unusually dry year, the headlines last month indicated that at least 10 million people in the country faced famine (I honestly think the number could be even higher).

Going back to the situation in my flat – I honestly counted myself lucky. A lot of people out there have no water running out of their taps at all. In some cases – they have no water in the rivers that provide them with water.

Several questions come to my mind – have governments in Africa really learnt to plan around droughts and other climatic impacts despite not having experienced these for the first time in 2009? Why are we never ready? Who informs who and who are we supposed to hold to account when such situations occur?

Our strategy on how we plan to adapt to the changing climate will certainly be critical for Africa as continent. Whether we like it or not – climate change is happening. I am also inclined to think that climate change will be bring some opportunities but at the same time it will result in serious impacts that we ought to be prepared for.

Now that preparedness is what we need to plan very well and start discussing with a higher level of seriousness than ever before.

Red river and gullies

A recent visit I made to the Lake Bogoria River Basin in the Rift Valley region of Kenya brought something to the fore that is critical in the water resources management work that I do – land degradation.

Looking down from a bridge, what I saw was a red river – laden with so much silt it was phenomenal.

This basin is particularly interesting because it lies within two rather distinct zones – one semi-arid and another high rainfall. The lower zone towards the famous Lake Bogoria is the semi-arid zone with almost predominantly pastoral communities. The pressure of large herds of animals on this rather fragile area is highly visible. From the steep slopes towering parts of the area, one can see clearly over grazed hill slopes. Further down in the low lying area – the presence of gullies is highly indicative of originally good land – gone bad. As a result – rivers of red are at all not a surprise.

I suppose the million dollar (and indeed some of the ongoing projects in this part of the country cost that much) question is – how do you reverse such a trend? Food for thought.

A fork in the river….where the Mara River begins

A few weeks ago I made a trip to the Mara River Basin, to discuss conservation issues with the local communities there. A local farmer asked me whether I had seen the point where the Mara River begins – I responded to him saying I actually had not. The basin is a phenomenal and challenging place at the same time. Two main rivers make up what eventually becomes the Mara – the Nyangores and Amala. The black line is the Amala, the red - the Nyangores and blue line Mara River.

What was exciting about this particular visit was that it’s the first time I had actually ventured to visit during the rainy season. The area was amazingly lush and the river laden with sediment – top soil washed away from the upper catchment areas. When I got to the confluence of the Nyangores and Amala – it finally dawned on me just how much sediment was in the river. Incredible and we are working on it….

I leave you with a picture of the sunrise - amazing and breathtaking colors - in Musoma on the shores of Lake Victoria.

More soooon.

Sense of direction - Rwenzori trekking route

I thought I should provide a map of the trek so people can get a sense of how this trip went.

Check this out:

Day 4 – A lovely day with simply surprising and amazing views

I think during the entire trip – this was the most sunny and clearest day. It was simply spectacular and scenic in every possible way. We decided as a team not to proceed to the next camp but to acclimatize at this elevation and spend the day walking around the Lake Bujuku area. I must say it was a day well spent.

The view of the lake sort of reminded me of a large sting ray with a tail – don’t you think?

We decided to explore the area and headed to the Irene Lakes located at 4,900 m. The walk was well worth it. Apart from the fantastic view of the lake, the view of Speke Glacier was just breath taking.

But what really blew my mind absolutely away was the view of the Green Lake. There in full glory, a lake borne in solid rock below the Speke Glacier. The guide had deliberately not mentioned this as we climbed and when I saw it….I honestly cannot quite express how I felt. It was simply phenomenal!!!!!! Here I give you Green Lake:

As we walked up the trail towards the Irene Lakes, running streams graced the mountain scenery – lovely. The taste of the water was simply refreshing and icy.

As one can imagine in this rocky terrain, other rather expected “species” do too grace the mountain scenery. I came across some stunning lichens growing on rocks and dead logs. Wow – what patterns and hues. Nature has its surprises at every bend.

After walking for nearly 5 hours – we finally arrived at the location of the Irene Lakes. Fantastic and just simply spectacular. At such a high elevation, these rather small lakes have no fish or living organisms in them. They are simply too cold. They receive their water from both rainfall and glacial input.

Right at the top we finally saw her - in her splendor and regal mode: Margherita Peak. I must say it was quite imposing and beckoning at the same time. This was the clearest I saw this peak until I got to it.

I just enjoyed this day immensely. To wrap it all up – the view of the sunset was surreal. The colours kept changing in quick succession I had to stop taking the pictures and just simply enjoy the moment.

Climbing higher and higher – Day 3

Day 3

We left John Matte and headed to Bujuku Camp which was located approximately 3, 500m. We would climb to a higher elevation by nearly 600m. This was exciting. Just before we left early this morning – I just had to take some pictuires of the sunrise. It was so surreal that I don’t think pictures do it justice:

With the change in elevation, came the change in vegetation type too – absolutely amazing and intriguing. The initial walk on this day was through a rather boggy area - known as Bigo Bog. Fortunately there was a board walk we could walk over to avoid the wet and rather precarious boggy areas. Beware of Bigo Bog - very very muddy....

I was grateful for the company of my only other female companion – Susan – phew

As I have indicated in my earlier write up – the vegetation of this ecosystem is incredible. Here are some pictures of the wonderful scenes of the floral at just over 3,000m....

This is a young everlasting flower plant encassed in some web-like thing. It was just amazing.

Everlasting flowers.....in blooom...

The valleys in this area were also phenomenal. In some areas it was a combination of valley and bogs, while in another areas it was valley and Scenecio forests/mosses and liverworts . Incredible

Ohhh and the wonderful slow yet beautiful creature of the land:

As we neared Bujuku Camp – I sighted the amazing Stanley and Alexander Glaciers – just breathtaking.

Then we got to Bujuku Lake – first time I had encountered a high elevation lake in an African mountain. Here I give you Bujuku Lake – and the standalone rock in the lake is famously refered to as Noah’s ark. Don’t ask.

Though the camp was located not very far from the lake – the walk between the lake and camp was incredibly tiring as it was muddy and boggy. Not very nice if you are tired – but we made it to camp after more than 5 hours of walking. Tea was just in order…..

Syanzururu Expedition - When the journey…or rather trek began – Days 1 and 2

Syanzururu means – Glacier in the local Lukonjo language spoken in the Kasese/Rwenzori area. And this was the name of our wonderful expedition - with a mission!!!!

The night before the start of this expedition – well it was an expedition as a matter of fact – I lay in bed thinking whether I was both mentally and physically ready for this trek. How was to judge anyhow? I had read and heard so much about the Rwenzori that I honestly had no way of being a self-judge. It suddenly dawned on me – as I lay there – this would be the last time I would have a comfortable, double bed with cosy pillows in 8 days!!!!! I put my devils to rest and told myself – I WAS READY!!!!

Day 1:

Bright and early – after, I must confess, a deep soak in the bath tub – we set out to meet with the rest of team from the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the guides from the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS) offices – this is a community based organization based in Kasese. These guys were simply our guardian angels….you will understand why later.

The guides - L-R - Josephat, Stephen, Anthony and Herbert

We were just ready to ROCK!!! Armed with walking sticks and renewed energy – here we are….

After a briefing of what the trip would be like, which camps we would stop at when etc. we set off at 10:00am on 20th February 2008. Onward marching solders……

Here we are…..


We reached the park entrance – for more briefing yet again – just before we entered the boundaries of the Rwenzori National Park. We were well informed not only by the wardens but also the amazing signage within the park.

I was by now mentally prepared for the zones I was being informed of – mountane forest area this, bamboo forest that….very ready now.

Then it all began – THE ASCENT!!!! Inially not very steeply, gentle walk, green broad-leaved vegetation all around. Lovely. Then we walked passed the wonderful Mubuku River – very rocky and refilled our water bottles – that were interestingly labeled – Rwenzori spring water..hahhahahhaa. NICE – we got the real deal. To be honest I cannot remember when I last drank water naturally provided – from the source!!!
Pretty natural things and medicinal plants….was the dose of sights we got as we walked on and the guides talked on….
Sausage Tree – Kigelia africana – known for its medicinal properties including its usefulness to men especially those suffering from ..mmmm…..well that’s what the guide whispered to me. I just smiled back.

Even more interesting things…..the one horned chameleon – now this was fascinating for me. I had never seen one before. Gorgeous creature!!!

Some interesting mushrooms too – I didn’t dare taste lest my trek ended right here.

And then we got to Mahoma River – that’s when the real ascent started…..wow…..and questions also began – So how long does this stretch go for? We will sight a glacier or two? How high will it be when we get to base camp?

I guess I was just trying to get my mind off the steepness of the trail – but what a climb. Up and up AND up……

After a nearly 5 hour trek – we sighted Nyabitaba Base Camp..Hallelujah!!!!!!

Hang on…not just the camp but the misty hill range of the mountain that changed from minute to minute…..and the magnificent Portal Peaks – Incredible!!!!!! Uhhh it was such a magical moment.

For failure of finding the right words to describe this – all I can say is that it was a bit like a theatrical dance – exciting at every turn – I mean how else can I describe it?

*******
Day 2

Had I forgotten what camping during the Girl Guide days was like? Ohhh after a night on a hard bed and a sleeping bag, I was just ready to go. But not without the very first breakfast at Nyabitaba Camp.

I took the last picture of the Portal peaks just before we left because Herbert one of the guides told me that in a few days time these rather high and challenging looking peaks will be dwarfed by the real things…hehhehehhee.


Herbert talking to team….

Beaming with renewed energy – Me - we started the trek for a second day.
We started yet another day of further ascent and I mean getting to higher elevation. This part of the trek was not as steep as the day before. We crossed the rather “giddy” Kurt Schafer Bridge which – last November – had suffered a freak of nature and was hit by a big log coming from upstream. The result – this bridge:

I survived this.

Though it was not incredibly warm, thirst was something we had to contend with. Steep hills translated to regular watering stops – from nature yet again:



More walking. I couldn’t but marvel at the amazing plant life along the way. I was lucky to be walking closely with Stephen, a rather knowledgeable and a man who new a fair amount of info on medicinal plants. Amazing.

For example – I was struck by the beauty of the flowers of this plant below. His response to its use even dazzled me more –



Locally known as “Lhukonzo” in the Lukonjo language – this plant (with the pretty orange flowers) is locally used to remove evil spirits.


This was locally known as a snake head – perhaps because it looked like one. It seemed not to have medicinal value – but hey not everything does.

More on the beautiful flora of this stunning landscape – here is a sneak preview:
Satyrium robusta in bloom


Pretty and nearly ready to eat – raspberry fruit in the wild

And accompanying raspberry flowers in bloom too


Some phenomenally pretty mushroom growing on a bark of a tree with some ferns

Everlasting flowers – Helichrysum guilemii – in bloom; these amazingly stunning flowers only open up fully in direct sunlight. They close at night or when it’s raining. Superb.

The sight of some kind of fern growing on trees is incredible. These fern seem to have some type of symbiotic relationship with the Heather trees.

Fern shoot in its initial life stages….coiled up – cute.

Then we walked through a rather exciting zone for me – the Bamboo zone. Breath taking. An incredibly lush and misty zone, it was simply beautiful – more so with the fern that either entwined it….or grew between the joints of the bamboo stems.

I certainly cannot ignore the Fauna…..and gorgeous looking Cha…..here we come….

The sighting of this chameleon was rather unusual in sense that it was actually sighted at elevation of over 3,000 masl – where most of these creatures are rarely found. This was, in a way indicative of the changes that were taking place within this rather delicate environment – it warming up.

With all this beauty – nature surely does have a way of popping up with surprises. After walking for slightly over an hour, we came to a rather interesting junction. An entire part of a hill had been defaced and a landslide had taken place, last November. I gather from those that had heard the noise when it happened – it was deafening and wild. It seems this is largest of its kind in Africa within a mountain range. I would not disagree as I have never seen anything like this to make any comparison. I stood on what seemed to be the remnant of a “sea of mud and rock”……with debris everywhere of brunches and uprooted massive trees. This must have been an event of a kind – check this out:

We climbed some more – in some places not so pleasant. Is a trek ever meant to be trouble-free? I doubt it. Then it would be no journey at all…hehhehhehehe


A rather muddy and not so good part of the trail.

We made it to John Matte camp in just less than 6 hours. This time we had reached elevation 3,900 meters above sea level. Yihooooooo.