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Heavy rains in a Kampala surbub (December 2008) cause traffic jams, filth, diseases and incoveniences to road users and commercial establishments.
Inset: L-R: Floods in Bwaise-Kalerwe, Kampala (2007); women and children struggle to cross flooded Aswa river in northern Uganda; floods in Kyambogo, Kampala (2005)
NEMA 2008
5
Sunshine is an important environmental resource usually
taken for granted in the country. Recently, through
successful technological applications, solar energy
has proved to be an important source of energy and is
progressively being exploited by many to meet their
energy needs.
Likewise, because of its equatorial position, high rainfall,
and numerous lakes, the relative humidity is high in most
parts of the country throughout the year especially in the
southern and central parts of Uganda.
There are, however, spatial and temporal variations in
humidity which are largely a reflection of rainfall and
temperature variations.
Uganda experiences low wind speeds due to the lack
of long wind-fetch environmental conditions such as
expanses of flat lands and water bodies. The location
of the country in the continental interior and the highly
contrasting local relief features obstruct the development
of high wind speeds. Consequently, the potential for
development of wind-based energy in the country is
limited, though still a possibility.
Although windspeeds of as low as 3m/sec can be used to
generate energy for pumping water, utilisation of wind for
energy generation involves initial high investment costs.
However, this is a feasible innovation in irrigation and
livestock agriculture and ideally suited for dry land areas
such as Karamoja region and the rest of the cattle corridor.
NEMA 2005
NEMA 2007
NEMA 2008