RUBIRIZI,UGANDA – Rubirizi District has partnered with Tigikya Nature Adventures and the Rutoto community to launch the _Nurture Nature_ campaign, aimed at protecting the environment and promoting eco-tourism in the area.
Conservationists and residents gathered in Rutoto today to kick off the initiative with a large-scale cleanup of the town and the shores of Lake Nkuguta. Volunteers collected discarded plastic bottles and other waste from the lake area and surrounding neighborhoods.
Organizers also announced the upcoming *Crater Rift Valley Run*, scheduled for 25 July 2026. The run will run under the theme _“Create Awareness, Promote Fitness and Tourism Conservation”_ and is intended to raise awareness about conservation while showcasing the district’s natural scenery to visitors.
According to Mr. Katusiime Marcelus, a private lecturer and conservationist, the campaign will focus on cleaning Rutoto town and the shores of Lake Nkuguta, as well as other crater lakes across the district that provide water for domestic use. He said plastic bottles and polythene papers are increasingly being dumped in the lakes.
“Keeping water bodies clean is critical,” Mr. Katusiime said. “I urge residents to stop littering, especially around lakes and rivers. I also call on Ugandans to buy run kits to support the effort to save all crater lakes in Rubirizi district.”
He warned that if the practice of dumping plastic waste continues and district leadership fails to act, future generations may lose access to these lakes. He called on the government to take stricter action and arrest anyone found dumping plastic bottles in the lakes.
Local leaders echoed the call for community ownership of environmental protection.
Mr. Tusigye Apollo, a local leader, said preserving natural resources is key to safeguarding the area’s future and boosting tourism in Rubirizi.
Mr. Mujumba Jonani, LC III Chairperson of Rutoto Sub-county, and Mr. Benoni Mutabazi, Chairman of Rutoto Trading Center, also urged residents to take responsibility for keeping their environment clean.
The _Nurture Nature_ campaign is expected to run throughout the year, with more community cleanups and awareness drives planned in the coming months.
Story by: Aine Sheilah, Rubirizi District
