ABOUT LAKE WAMALA

one of the freshwater lakes in Central Uganda is called Lake Wamala. The lake’s surface area is roughly 250 square kilometers, and its depth ranges from 1.5 to 4.5 meters. The lake is on the verge of going extinct as a result of climate change and human encroachment.

roughly 17 kilometers between Mityana and Kalyankoko, which are located on the eastern banks of Lake Wamala in Kimuli, Mityana District.

Lake Wamala was once a part of Lake Victoria, but it has since receded into its present location. Numerous islands, including Rwanju Island, Kiraza, Mabo, Kazinga, and Bagwe Island, are scattered throughout the lake.

Lake Wamala receives its water from a number of rivers, including the Mpamujugu, Kaabasuma, and Kitega rivers. The Kibimba River, which drains Lake Wamala, is a seasonal river that frequently dries up during the dry season.

All three communities—Gomba, Mubende, and Mityana—share Lake Wamala. There are

BRIEF HISTORY OF LAKE WAMALA

More than 4,000 years ago, so the story goes that the Bachwezi monarch Wamala the final ruler of the Bachwezi dynasty who had occupied Bunyoro Kitara’s surroundings vanished into the lake in the Nakyegalika location, which is close to Lubajja’s fishing town, and his ghost still resides there. Therefore the Lake Wamala received its name after him

WILDLIFE OF LAKE WAMALA

Lake Wamala has floating papyrus and other water-based plants that surround the lake as the dominant types of vegetation there. Other types of trees include Palm and Raphia trees. A variety of animals, including Sitatunga antelopes, hippos, waterbucks, crocodiles, bushbucks, wild pigs, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, guinea fowl, and the Turaco, will be encountered by you. These have pulled a number of tourists to have a glance at them for they are a rare species in their localities.

Tilapia, lungfish, and catfish are just a few of the many fish species that can be found in the lake Wamala. A few fish species, including Oreochromis esculentus, Oreochromis variabilis, and Victorinus labeo, are critically endangered in the lake in addition to uncommon bird species. For culture and ecology, lakes are important locations. A Ramsar site designation has been given to the lake.

TOURIST ACTIVITIES ON THE LAKE

The lake’s buffer zones are heavily farmed for agriculture, have floating plants, and are the habitat of unique, threatened bird species. In the area around the lake, you will see farmlands with rice fields, eucalyptus trees, and tomato gardens.

Originally, fishing was the local community’s primary means of subsistence, but due to overfishing, fish populations appear to have decreased.