Baskadia

THE COLLAPSED MOUNTAIN

There had been a natural forest around Mount Nyakitunda in Isingiro District of Uganda. Whenever lumbers came to cut the trees, they often complained because they treasured their home; forest.

There came a time when trees around the mountains complained for lack of care. Man was drawing firewood from the trees, and trees complained because they got no returns. It was a season of sunshine and drought. They stripped themselves naked and all kept silent as though they were living dead.

After a while, there came a lumber. He cut down one tree and sliced it into wood which was used to make furniture that was later used in the president's residence. When the other trees received the news, they asked the lumber to do the same to them. Later, the forest was left without a single tree. As trees jubilated for sleeping in posh houses, the mountain yelled for remaining bare. When the first rains fell, the occurance was so tense that the mountain couldn't resist the slides. Today, what was Nyakitunda Hill is as flat as the national stadium.

Written by Grace David Tusiime