Drainage Basin of Lake Kivu in the Western Rift of East Africa and Hazards Potential

A series of ArcGIS-generated maps were applied in analysing the potential for flooding and landslide hazards within the Lake Kivu drainage basin. This study was carried out using digital elevation data of the basin. The Kivu drainage basin encompasses an area of 7,382 km2. Sediment and water supply to Lake Kivu originate mostly from its eastern hinterland. The distribution of land sliding potentiality in the drainage basin shows that the northern and the southern portions of the basin are the ones with relatively low risk of land sliding, whereas the rift shoulders are most prone to land sliding. Mass wasting on slopes has the potential to grade downstream into debris and mudflows, promoting in turn further erosion and flooding. Keywords: drainage, Kivu, Africa, flooding, landslide, hazar

Estimation of Soil Erosion Using RUSLE Model and GIS: The Case of Satinskyi Catchment, Western Rwanda

The problem of soil erosion in Rwanda has been highlighted in previous studies. They have shown that half of the country’s farmland suffers moderate to severe erosion, with the highest soil loss rates found in the steeper and highly rainy northern and western highlands of the country. The purpose of this study was to estimate soil loss in Satinskyi, one of the catchments located in Ngororero District of Western Rwanda. This has been achieved using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model, which has been implemented in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment. The methods consisted of preparing a set of input factor layers including Slope Length and Steepness (LS) factor, Rainfall Erosivity (R) factor, Soil Erodibility (K) factor, Support Practice (P) factor, and Land Surface Cover Management Factor (C) factor, for the model. The input factors have been integrated for soil loss estimates computation using RUSLE model, and this has enabled to quantitatively assess variations in the mean of the total estimated soil loss per annum in relation to topography and land-use patterns of the studied catchment. The findings showed that the average soil loss in Satinskyi catchment is estimated at 38.4 t/ha/year. It was however found that about 91% of the study area consists of areas with slope angle exceeding 15°, a situation which exposes the land to severe soil loss rates ranging between 31 t/ha/year and 41 t/ha/year. Apart from the steep slope, changes in land use also contribute to high rates of soil loss in the catchment. Keywords: Soil Erosion Estimation, GIS, RUSLE, Satinskyi Catchment, Rwand

Maternal Outcomes among Grand Multiparous and Multiparous Women in Mulago Hospital, Uganda

Objective: To compare the incidence of intrapartum and immediate post-partum complications among grand multiparous (para 5-9) and multiparous (para 2-4) delivering at Mulago hospital, Uganda.Design: Prospective cohort study.Setting: Mulago hospital, Uganda.Subjects: One hundred and fifty six grand multiparous and multiparous women were recruited on admission in labour ward and followed up through labour and immediate post partum period. Maternal complications among the two groups were collected and analysed.Results: Women with grandmultiparity were significantly older and had a lower educational profile than multiparous women. The overall incidence of intrapartum and immediate post-partum complications for grandmultiparous women was 13.5% compared with 9.6% in the multiparous group RR 1.19 (0.88-1.61). Grand multiparous (GMP) women were more likely to have PPH than the multiparous (MP) women 6.4% vs. 1.9% RR l.61 (1.20-2.17).Conclusion: Post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) was higher among the GMPs when compared to MPs