Mabamba Bay Wetland System. 15/09/06; Wakiso, Mpigi; 2,424 ha; 00°07'N 032°21'E. Important Bird Area. An extensive marsh stretching through a narrow and long bay fringed with papyrus towards the main body of Lake Victoria - the only swamp close to Kampala where one can easily find the globally-threatened Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex). The site supports an average of close to 190,000 birds and is part of the wetland system which hosts approximately 38% of the global population of the Blue Swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea), as well as the globally-threatened Papyrus Yellow Warbler and other birds of global conservation concern. The site supports a lucrative fisheries activity and is a source of fish for home consumption and commercial use, as well as of raw material for local crafts, building materials, water for domestic and livestock use, and non-wood products. Factors needing attention are the dry season incursion into the swamp by fishermen; hunting of the Sitatunga by local people; the proliferation of the Water Hyacinth; and the poaching of Shoebill. The proliferation of flower farms along the shores of Lake Victoria and the use of agrochemicals is likely to have an impact. NatureUganda spearheaded the development of a National Important Bird Areas Conservation Strategy (NIBACS) that highlights measures and strategies for the conservation of the Bay. Ramsar site no. 1638. Most recent RIS information: 2006.