GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Kanungu District is located in South Western Uganda between 29° 50’E and 0°45’S of the Equator, bordering the Districts of Rukungiri in the north and east, Rubanda in the southeast, Kisoro in the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the west. Kanungu District headquarters are situated at Kanungu Town Council, about 450 kilometers from Kampala the capital of Uganda.

TOPOGRAPHY

Kanungu district lies on the fringes of the western rift valley with the Northern part forms part of the Rift valley with undulating plains with the middle part (sub-counties of Rugyeyo, Kirima and parts of Kanyantorogo) comprising of flat toped hills with gentle sloping sides and broad valleys. These hills gradually increase in height to the highlands of Rutenga with Burimbi peak of Mafuga being the highest at 82,222ft (2503m) above sea level with some parts of Kihihi Sub County lying on the fringes of the western Eastern African rift valley.

Kanungu District has a total area of 1228.28 sq. km of which land area is 1179 sq.km and 40 sq. km are wetlands and swamps.

Geology and soils

The most common types of soils in Kanungu District are greyish brown sandy loams and reddish brown sand especially in Kihihi and Nyamirama sub-counties.

Vegetation and size.

Kanungu District has a total area of 1,228.28 sq. km, comprising of 60% small-scale farmland, 15% high tropical forest, 11% woodland, 9% grassland, 2% bush land, 1% open water and 2% miscellaneous mosaics. The vegetation ranges from the high tropical forests of Bwindi impenetrable national park to the grasslands of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Land use and land coverage

Agriculture is the main land use in Kanungu District and a major economic activity. The land is largely fragmented due to traditional practices of inheritance and a high population density. Land is held in customary private ownership although there are few relatively high income farmers with freehold and leasehold titles. Grazing lands are communally owned and land fragmentation is a common feature. The concept of ‘land use planning’ is still new and is only practiced to a limited extent in the townships, where specific areas are assigned for industries, commercial buildings, residential, road networks and institutional sites. Parts of the district lie in Queen Elizabeth National Park biosphere reserve and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is a world heritage site. Cultivation covers most hill tops and many wetlands have been drained, while very little of the original forest outside the parks still remains. Land shortage coupled with intensive use for subsistence agriculture, has led to soil degradation, poor yields and ultimately poverty. Some small-scale artisan fishing takes place within inland water bodies including wetlands and rivers. The majority of fish consumed in the district, approximately 90% is obtained from Lake Edward.

Main economic activities in the district

 Commerce/trade 7.6%

 Agricultural 90%

 Tourism 0.1%  Industry 1.3%

 Service 1.0%

Temperature

Kanungu District has an average temperature ranging from 15°C to 23°C.

Rainfall

Kanungu District has a tropical climate with fairly well distributed annual rainfall of about 1200mm. The District receives a bimodal type of rainfall between the months of March - May and September – December

Rainfall patterns in Kanungu District

 Hydrology

Kanungu District has many small rivers and streams such as Ishasha, Munyaga, Nchwera, Kiruruma, Birara while the northern part is connected to Lake Edward. The district is also endowed with a number of wetlands both seasonal and permanent, which serve as water reservoirs and other ecological functions. However, there is a challenge of wetland drainage due to overharvesting of materials to create farm land and land shortage resulting from increase in population in some areas such as Kayonza, Rugyeyo, Kihiihi and Kambuga. However, water pollution due to mining of clay, sand and other minerals, dumping of wastes from corroded soil and contamination (from animal and human faeces on river Ishasha, Birara and Kiruruma) remains a big challenge.

Population

Between 2002 and 2014, the population growth rate of Kanungu District was 1.7% i.e. 2002 (204,732), 2019 (288,545) and 2020(293,537) persons. If the population is left to grow by the same rate of 1.7% and slow decline of TFR from 4.7 (2014) to 3.7 (2040), the population of Kanungu District is estimated to be 508,850 persons in 2040

Total population by age group and sex

Kanungu District has a population density of 235 people per sq. km) which has increased from 167 people per sq. km in 2002. The total population by Sub County, households, sex and density is indicated in the table below;

Source: Uganda Beareu of Statistics population projections 2020

In addition, Kanungu District hosts the Matanda Refugee Transit Centre, located at Matanda village, Kihihi Sub County. This is an exit and entry point for refugees mainly from DRC and Rwanda. On a daily basis, Matanda Refugee Transit centre hosts about 600 refugees due to tribal clashes, forced rebel recruitments, abductions and death threats. Very many refugees are settled within the surrounding communities of the border of DRC and many organizations have come in to provide humanitarian assistance to the refugees coordinated by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

Socio-economic activities

In Kanungu District, the size of the labour force is estimated at 156,513 and the unemployment rate is about 5.8% (2019). The indicator of status of employment distinguishes between three categories of the total employed, that is, wage and salaried workers, self-employed workers and contributing family workers (unpaid family workers). The major source of income in the district is subsistence crop farming which stands at 72.2% of households, justified by the fact that the district is majorly rural and therefore the source of livelihood is through farming. Of these households, 89% are engaged in crop farming, 50% in livestock keeping, 37% in poultry keeping, 1% in bee keeping and less than 1% in fish farming.

The detailed classification of workers in Kanungu District is shown in the table below; 

Source: Kanungu District 5 Year Development Plan 2020-2025