Kabale wetlands still about 60 percent degraded, restoration teams say

Restoration teams in Kabale say large stretches of wetland are still degraded, with officers putting the figure at about 60 percent. The warning was repeated this week as local leaders walked sections of the Maziba catchment that feed streams running toward Lake Bunyonyi. District natural resources officer Henry Tumwesigye said encroachment, drainage for gardens and settlement have left many papyrus belts thin. Maziba sub-county chairperson Onesmus Mutungye told residents that restoration only holds if households stop opening new plots in the swamp. ## What restoration looks like on the ground - Replanting papyrus and native cover along drained channels - Marking wetland boundaries with communities, not only maps in the office - Steering livelihoods toward the edges of the swamp rather than the middle Joy FM Newsroom will keep following how far the restoration actually reaches beyond the demonstration sites. _Based on public briefings and national reporting, 11 August 2026._