On 4 November 2024, a community hall in Kayebe became a space for change, as residents of Namavundu Parish gathered for a critical dialogue on climate change and democratic participation. Facilitated by Innovations for Development (I4DEV), the meeting was more than a training; it was a clarion call for citizen-led action in the face of environmental uncertainty.
Danny Gotto, the Executive Director of I4DEV, is chairing the meeting
With participants ranging from community leaders to youth, teachers, persons with disabilities, and town council officials, including Deputy Mayor Olive Mary Nakibuuka, the session tackled both the science of climate change and the politics of inaction. The community painted a vivid picture of the local climate crisis: failing crops due to erratic rainfall, contaminated air from industrial sprawl, open waste burning, and the creeping despair of water scarcity. Layered beneath these environmental threats was another force destabilising efforts: corruption. From weak policy enforcement to selective regulation, participants voiced frustration over environmental degradation sustained by “cheap politics” and political party divisions.
Mrs. Olive Mary Nakibuuka, the deputy mayor of Kasangati town council, shared her remarks during the meeting
But this wasn’t a meeting for grievances alone. What emerged was a powerful sense of direction: calls for strategic planning, budgeted climate action, community policing against illegal waste dumping, and the empowerment of citizens to take initiative. Participants advocated for revitalising environmental committees, routine health inspections, and amplifying climate education at every level.
One of the participants is making his submission during the meeting
As Dr. Danny Gotto of I4DEV reminded the room, resilience isn’t just about infrastructure; it is about people. The Namavundu experience proves that when citizens are not just consulted but engaged, real solutions begin to take root.
This meeting was a glimpse of what’s possible when local voices shape local futures. Namavundu may be just one parish, but its resolve speaks volumes for what can happen when climate justice and democracy walk hand in hand.