Parliament has implored authorities to seek out lasting options to recurrent disasters, citing River Nyamwamba in Kasese District which is alleged to flood at the very least 3 times a 12 months.
Legislators mentioned it was unbecoming that yearly the nation experiences devastating results of floods which might be averted.
“It has turn into frequent that each month of May, June and October, River Nyamwamba bursts its banks and leaves very many individuals lifeless and property destroyed. It just isn’t taking place in Kasese alone however Rwenzori sub-region, as a result of districts like Ntoroko, Bundibugyo, Kabarole and Bunyangabu are additionally affected,” mentioned Hon. Florence Kabugho (FDC, Kasese District Woman Representative).
Kabugho raised this as a matter of nationwide significance in the course of the plenary sitting chaired by Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa on Wednesday, 18 September 2024.
She mentioned the latest floods on 07 September 2024 brought about harm, that left Kasese residents questioning if authorities nonetheless cares for them.
“The floods have killed individuals, destroyed homes and swept away merchandise, leaving the enterprise group struggling. We know authorities has launched cash to desilt that river however we’re not seeing what that cash is getting used for, the individuals of Kasese assume that authorities has uncared for them,” mentioned Kabugho.
Kabugho prayed that authorities sends technocrats to Kasese to seek out out the lasting options to the floods. whose seasons are recognized however proceed to have an effect on the inhabitants.
Pakwach District Woman Representative, Hon. Jane Avur, mentioned her persons are not any totally different from these in Kasese following the flooding of the River Nile banks which has curtailed schooling.
“The River Nile has burst its banks and in consequence, pupils in Pakwach are unable to entry colleges. Teachers have additionally rebelled as a result of they can’t proceed to make use of the small canoes, they’re asking for motorised boats from the Office of the Prime Minister,” Avur mentioned.
Cognisant that major seven pupils are but to sit down for the nationwide exams, Avur known as on the Office of the Prime Minister to urgently reply.
Hon. Gilbert Olanya (FDC, Kilak South County) mentioned the season of floods in Elegu, Amuru District is thought to the ministry in control of disasters and requested for the progress of the everlasting options authorities promised his individuals.
The Minister of State, Office of the Prime Minister (Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees), Hon. Lillian Aber, mentioned her ministry is working with United Nations companies to determine a long-term mitigation plan for disasters that occur in Kasese, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo districts. She added that her ministry had already sanctioned reduction meals for Kasese residents affected by the River Nyamwamba floods.
The Minister of State for Water and Environment (Environment), Hon. Beatrice Anywar, talked of an inter-ministerial committee chaired by the Prime Minister which has been charged with the accountability to reply to the Kasese floods.
“The committee is already holding conferences since final week. There are some directives raised by the President that the committee is incorporating. In the meantime, there might be interventions similar to clear water which is required by our individuals,” Anywar mentioned.
The Deputy Speaker revealed that his workplace receives complaints about disasters on a weekly foundation and proposed that since seasons for a lot of the disasters are recognized, there ought to be a strong answer.
Tayebwa went on to direct the Minister of Relief and Disaster Preparedness to desk a complete report detailing authorities’s preparedness to mitigate disasters on 25 September 2024.
“I’m receiving practically each week problems with disasters and the solutions we get are the identical. We request the minister to deliver a report on how ready they’re to mitigate disasters. Right now I don’t assume Hon. Rwemulikya might be right here due to what is occurring in Ntoroko,” Tayebwa mentioned.