Social and Environmental effects of Bujagali Dam

Abstract There has been a steady increment in economic growth in Uganda and as the economy is on the rise, the demand for energy also increases. Hydro power energy production has been growing in Uganda as a result of the different types of dams created in Uganda along the River Nile. Uganda has been trying to reach the target of electricity capacity so as to ensure that her people get the energy required to improve on their livelihoods. Uganda as a whole has different energy sources but in this thesis, Bujagali dam will be at the center of the focus. Looking at the social and environmental impacts made upon its construction in Jinja. The main objective of this thesis was therefore to show how the livelihoods of the people dwelling in the neighborhood and the environment were affected by the construction of the dam. The livelihoods of the people before the construction of the dam were reviewed in regard to their social life as well as the environment from past literature provided. The different aspects in which the people and environment were affected after the construction of the dam were also reviewed through different interviews with the residents of Bujagali. There were both positive and negative effects, socially, environmentally and economically due to the construction of the Bujagali. The positive social effects were: provision of land for farming, provision of employment opportunities for the residents, increase in tourism at the dam, the falls and the cultural centers, community development including education, health facilities, skill training, water supply and power supply while the negative effects were loss of land, cultural loss, and less access to different points of the river for fishing purposes for the residents. The positive environmental effects were increase in fish species, more health and safety awareness, and thermal plants closure hence less green house gases effects on the ozone layer, the noise levels effects due to the dam construction, were of no consequence as they were in the required standard. The negative environmental effects were majorly water levels fluctuation that affects the head of water which in turn affects the capacity of power produced at the dam and air quality of the area during and after the construction of the dam especially air emissions. The positive economic effects were: increment of power to the national grid, lower electricity costs, closure of thermal plants as they were expensive to run and maintain and reduction of load shedding. The negative effect was the financial loan that the government of Uganda obtained to construct the dam that has to be paid back.