A three-year-old boy named Masereka went to fetch water with his siblings last week. He never returned. His disappearance in the currents of the River Mubuku has become a grim symbol of a district under siege, where the water is no longer just a resource, but a recurring threat.

For the residents of Kasese, the danger is not entirely natural. Local authorities have identified a primary culprit behind the increasingly volatile river behavior: a proliferation of illegal, unapproved mini-irrigation schemes carved into the banks of the district’s major waterways.

Mustafa Kikusa, chairperson of the Kasese District Disaster Management Committee (KDDMC), issued a stark warning on June 12, 2026. During World Environment Day commemorations in Karusandara, he stated that these makeshift diversions are fundamentally altering the hydrology of the region. By pulling water away from established channels, these schemes leave the rivers unable to manage the surge of heavy rains, forcing them to spill over into nearby homes and farms.

The Cost of Unregulated Farming

The math of the disaster is simple, according to district officials. When farmers divert water for irrigation without engineering oversight, they disrupt the natural flow of rivers like the Mubuku, Nyamwamba, and Nyamugasa. During the dry season, the impact is localized. But when the rains arrive, the altered channels cannot contain the volume.

"As the water volume increases, the river easily invades communities, causing a lot of havoc, including loss of lives and properties," Kikusa said. The consequences are visible in villages like Kabuga and Kivengenyi, where floodwaters have routinely engulfed gardens and homes, displacing families and destroying livelihoods.

Beyond the immediate threat of flooding, the district is grappling with the cumulative effects of environmental degradation. Tom Ndyanabo, the manager of Save the Children in Kasese, noted that the irrigation schemes are part of a broader pattern of human-led environmental stress. Widespread deforestation and the reclamation of wetlands have stripped the landscape of its natural ability to absorb excess water, leaving communities downstream with little protection.

A Call for Enforcement and Restoration

The district’s response is shifting from education to potential enforcement. Kikusa has urged farmers operating near riverbanks to abandon these illegal schemes or face prosecution. He also emphasized the need for residents to respect established buffer zones, which are designed to act as a natural defense against rising water levels.

However, some local leaders argue that the problem requires more than just warnings. Samuel Kamara, the LCIII chairperson for Karusandara subcounty, expressed deep concern that the River Mubuku has already shifted from its original channel. He is calling for urgent government intervention to desilt the river, arguing that restoring the natural flow is the only way to mitigate the risk of future catastrophes.

Key Takeaways

  • Unregulated Diversions: Illegal irrigation schemes along the Mubuku, Nyamwamba, and Nyamugasa rivers are being blamed for exacerbating flooding by disrupting natural water channels.
  • Human Impact: Local officials have linked the increase in flood-related disasters to a combination of poor farming practices, wetland reclamation, and deforestation.
  • Policy Shift: The Kasese District Disaster Management Committee is now threatening prosecution for farmers who continue to operate unapproved irrigation schemes near riverbanks.

As the search for young Masereka continues, the tension between the need for agricultural production and the necessity of environmental safety remains unresolved. The next rainy season is not far off. For the families living along the banks of the Mubuku, the question is whether the government’s warnings will lead to the necessary infrastructure changes before the next flood arrives.