Elgon locals look to save River Sio from destruction
The Sio River, a transboundary basin of the River Nile shared by Uganda and Kenya, originates from Mount Elgon and flows through Nambaale, Matayos, and Samia, all in Western Kenya. In Uganda, the river flows through Dabani, Masinya, Buhehe, Lumino, and Majanji sub-counties before confluence into Lake Victoria at Maduwa. About 15 years ago, the Sio ecosystem consisted of oxbow lakes, several tributary rivers, and swamp vegetation, which had aquatic and semi-aquatic animals and contributed to the local microclimate of Uganda and Kenya. Now, with declining water levels, the livelihood the river once provided to close to four million people is being threatened.
