Bududa officials held for stealing relief items

Bududa

The police are holding a councillor, a community development officer and a sub county chief on claims of stealing blankets meant for victims of the Bududa landslides.

The three were arrested after residents of Bukalasi Sub-county, which is housing a relief centre, allegedly caught them in the middle of Saturday night sneaking blankets through a banana plantation.

According to the Eastern region Police Spokesman, Mr Iddi Ssekumbi, the residents arrested the lady councillor and the police helped trace the development officer and sub county chief. Other two councillors believed to be part of this group that broke into Red Cross offices housing the relief items are on the run.

Last week, a devastating landslide buried about 350 residents of Nametsi village on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, leaving hundreds others displaced and in dire need of help. “I thank the local residents for being vigilant because it is bad to take advantage of people who are suffering,” said Mr Ssekumbi. “This relief is meant for the people displaced not the local leaders.” Mr Ssekumbi said the suspects were being held at Bukalasi Police Post and would be transferred to Bududa District Central Police Station for further investigations.

Meanwhile, district officials have closed Bukalasi camp and directed the displaced persons to relocate to Bulucheke Sub-county headquarters, about four kilometres away.

Soggy place
The disaster committee said the Bukalasi camp was small and in a swamp, putting the health of the displaced at risk. However, some of the IDPs were reluctant to move, citing distance and inadequate relief support. “They have failed to provide for us here, our children are vomiting and passing stool because of eating raw beans and half-cooked posho,” said Ms Florence Nandutu, a displaced resident. “We are squeezed with no latrine. We should be released to go back home to feed our children and ourselves.

When Daily Monitor visited Buluckeke Sub-county headquarters, the first contingent of about 200 tents provided by Unicef were being set up to accommodate the IDPs. Each of the tents accommodates 15 people.