Shs35 billion needed to rebuild community

Kampala

The government is preparing an international appeal of as much as Shs35 billion [$17 million] for the victims of the Elgon landslide disaster, Daily Monitor can reveal. The money is meant for resettlement as well as on-going efforts at relief, according to Information Minister Kabakumba Masiko. She, however, said the exact figure for the appeal has not been finalised.

Technical teams were set to work after yesterday’s cabinet meeting that discussed the budget breaking down and itemising the money.
Ms Masiko was a guest on the Kfm Hot Seat show to discuss the effectiveness of governments response thus far. The death toll had by last evening scaled over 100 people and about 300 still reported missing. The minister said the budget would cater for much more than immediate concerns of relief and resettlement to cover road construction and other infrastructure that has been. At the moment, Ms Kabakumba said Shs200 million ($100,000) has been dispatched to cater for short term relief.

On the same show, Budadiri West MP and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Nandala Mafabi clashed with the minister, saying government response was neither adequate nor compassionate enough for the scale of the disaster. He referred to the Shs200 million put up by the government as part of relief help as loose or pocket change. “What can Shs200 million do, what is the Shs4 billion we provided for emergency doing?” a visibly emotional Mafabi asked.

According to Mr Mafabi, Parliament last year passed Shs4billion to be used for emergencies like the one the people of Bududa and Butaleja are experiencing. “We were called from recess to come and pass Shs7 billion emergency funding when cows were going without water. Now in other areas there is different treatment, why is it so?” Mr Mafabi asked as the debate between the two got heated up. He said the Bugisu Cooperative Union, a local farmers union he heads, has so far offered 200 bags of maize flour for the victims. He said the responsibility of disaster management is primarily government’s but that effort has been wanting since disaster struck Bududa.