Uganda's Mt. Elgon has started showing signs of eruption, Eruption is defined as a massive explosion of lava from a volcano
Mt Elgon is a relic of an extinct volcanic mountain located on Kenya-Uganda boundary in the districts of Bukwo, Manafa, Mbale etc.
It’s the oldest of the East African volcanoes and probably first erupted 20 million years ago and is thought to have remained active for another 14 million years when it would have stop far higher than Kilimanjaro does today. On top, it has a crater caldera which is about 5mile (8km) wide in diameter (one of the widest in the world) through River Suam drained the Crater Lake.
It covers over 3200Sq km and consists of largely fragmental rocks and only a smattering of lavas. Elgon’s tallest peaks form a jagged cycle and around the more or less intact caldera, which has a diameter of about 8km (making it one of the largest in the world) and is dotted with a small crater lakes and hot springs created by Pleistocene glacial activity. The highest peak is wagagai standing at 4321m.Which lies on the south west caldera rim. Other peaks are kiongo (4,303m) in the south, Mubiyi (4,210m) in the north and Jackson’s summit (4,165m) in the east.
IMPORTANCES OF MOUTAIN ELGON TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF UGANDA.
Mt. Elgon is a source of important rivers such as Sipi, Suam, Manafwa, and Turkwell which provide water for domestic use at Kapkwata, Kapkwai, Mbale, Sironko towns etc.
Quarrying of boulders and rocks takes place at the lower slopes of the Elgon especially at Kapchorwa, Kapkwa etc. Many of the houses in the area are built by use rocks excavated along the lower slopes.
Slopes of Mt. Elgon are well drained and so are used for settlement by some tribes e.g. the Ndorobo’s, Benet live in the Benet parish.Bagishu live at the lower slopes at Mbale etc.Others live at Kween, Budadiri etc.
The lower slopes of Mt. Elgon have fertile volcanic soils suitable for growing of Arabica coffee, bananas, maize at Mbale, Kween, Kapkwai etc.Livestock rearing is also practiced at the northern slopes in Kapchorwa by the Sebei (Nilo-cushitic tribe).They keep cows, goats, sheep etc. due to savanna grasslands and moorland vegetation at about 2500-3000metres.
Mt.Elgon is used for research and study purpose relating on forests, volcanicity geophysics etc.For example at Kapkwai there is a mountain Elgon forest exploration center.
Collection of honey. Wild fruits and herbs is carried out on Mt.Elgon by the Benet, Sebei,Ndorobo’s at Kapkwai, kapkwata, Benet parish, with in Wagagai caldera for use as medicine or for commercial purposes. The Bagishu collect “Malewa” bamboo plants used as a local delicacy in Mbale.
Controlled lumbering takes place in the Mt.Elgon forests. The Mbale saw mills highly depend on the mountain Elgon forest as source of timber and poles.Mt. Elgon has encouraged formation of orgraphic rain fall around the western slopes at Mbale, Manafwa necessary for agricultural practices.
NEGATIVE IMPORTANCES OF Mt ELGON
Mt Elgon has created a rain shadow effect in the north region at Nakapiripiriti and Moroto. Winds descend in the north s dry winds not capable of influencing rainfall formation resulting into aridity.
The slopes of Mt.Elgon such as Bududa, Kapkwata and Sironko are prone to landslides, rock fall and soil erosion limiting settlement and agriculture. Of recent landslides killed very many people in Uganda
Mt.Elgon encourage cattle rustlingbetween the masai, Upe, Taposa from Kenya and the sebei and iteso from Uganda
Tourism around the Mountain has led to social evils like prostitution and degeneration of culture in towns of Mbale and Kapchorwa, where female genital mutilation amongst is being discouraged
The steep slopes of Mt Elgon have limited the construction of transport routes at Kapkwata, Kapwata and the surrounding; this leads to remoteness of the area.
The steep slopes of Mt Elgon have limited cultivation in areas of Kapkwata, Kapwata and Mbale because of excessive soil erosion in these areas.