The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has joined forces with the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu (OBR) to advance Uganda’s Climate Change and Environmental Security Strategy (CCES), with a focus on enhancing climate change mitigation in the Rwenzori sub-region.

This collaboration was part of a consultative meeting organized by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA), aimed at gathering essential information to shape the ministry’s response to climate-related threats. The ministry’s environmental security strategy is centered on two main goals: adapting to the changing climate and implementing measures to reduce its impact.

According to Brig. Gen. David Gonyi, Chief of Staff of the UPDF Air Force and head of the Technical Committee leading CCES development, engaging with traditional institutions like OBR is crucial for broadening public participation in climate action. “The engagement with OBR was aimed at reaching wider audiences to boost climate action,” he stated.

He further noted that MoDVA is actively seeking input from cultural institutions to ensure their voices are reflected in the national strategy. “[We are] collecting input from cultural institutions so their recommendations can be incorporated into the national climate change strategy,” Brig. Gen. Gonyi added.

OBR representatives shared pressing environmental concerns affecting the Rwenzori region. Wilson Muwa Muhindo, OBR Deputy Minister for Lands, Agriculture, and Co-operatives, pointed out that frequent floods and annual river overflows in Kasese, combined with land scarcity, have pushed communities to overuse limited land, resulting in soil degradation.

Patrick Baluku Muhesi, the kingdom’s First Deputy Prime Minister, emphasized OBR’s longstanding commitment to environmental conservation, highlighting cultural practices such as tree planting during coronations and traditional ceremonies.

Brig. Gen. Gonyi praised the OBR’s efforts to promote regional peace and underscored that climate change has emerged as one of the most serious threats to national security. “Climate change is now one of the greatest security threats facing the country,” he warned.