Experts from Makerere university’s geography department warn that the dry spell currently affecting the country could stretch until the end of May. The experts blame the current absence of rainfall on a dry climatic condition referred to as "La Nina”.
Lecturer and co-ordinator of the meteorology unit at Makerere University, Dr. Alex Nimusiima, says the current weather pattern is not directly linked to climate change. Nimusiima says that the problem is not that there is less rainfall. He explains that the rainfall distribution has changed which means that the rain is not evenly distributed and it is also falling too much at a time when it is least needed. This affects the crop cycle and can lead to disruptions on the planting and harvesting schedule
Dr. Max Kigobe, an environmentalist and lecturer at Makerere university says that Uganda is particularly vulnerable to changes in rainfall or to prolonged drought because Ugandans depend on natural systems for accessing water. Kigobe adds that human activity is also to blame because the forest cover is being depleted which means there is less rain and the rain that falls washes away.
The government warned Tuesday that up to 1.5 million Ugandans face hunger as the dry spell continues