Bushfires leave several acres destroyed in Pader

Locals in Pader District are anticipating harder times ahead resulting from the endless wildfires that have destroyed several acreages of farmlands.
Bushfires are a regular occurrence in northern Uganda, especially during the warmer times of the year and the residents are living in fear of looming famine since the vice is threatening food security.

The most affected villages are those of Orute West, Orute East, Kompetene, Lunga, Lamii North, Lamii Ogwet and Lamii lawal in Pajule Sub-county. Others are Lajule Owiny, Wan Duku Central, Tuma Atto East and Kom Pe-Tene in Atanga Sub-county, all in Pader District.
It’s estimated that the fires have in the two sub-counties destroyed at least 800 acreages of both food and cash crops that include maize, Sim-sim, ground nuts, sorghum and peas.
The fires are suspected to have been set up by hunters, who intensify their chase for the wild edible rats commonly known as Anyeri during this season.

Edible rats are a delicacy for the Luo ethnic people and it is widely served in restaurants in the area.
An edible rat, for instance, goes for between Shs20,000 and 30,000 and it weighs between two to six kilogrammes.
One of the affected persons, Mr Dickens Okot, a residents of Lamii Lwal village, lost about 100 acres of sorghum and peas to the wildfires.
He told Daily Monitor in a recent interview that nobody has been arrested since the fire outbreaks.

“The fire also burnt my three bags of peas that were kept in the grass thatched hut, leaving me helpless with no food to feed my family,” he said.
Mr Richard Opio, a teacher at Lamogi Palenga Primary School in Pajule Sub-county, said one of the teachers at the school lost his grass-thatched hut to the fires while he was away for holidays.
“We only managed to rescue some of this household property,” he said.

Mr Brilliant Okello Tito, the chairperson of Pajule Sub-county, said bush fires are a threat to the livelihood of his people.

He appealed to the community and local council leaders to work closely to ensure that those behind the razing of people’s farms are arrested for further action.
“We cannot watch when our people are robbed of their only source of livelihood in the name of hunting wild rats. Time is now to take action on the culprits,” he said.
Mr Martin Kidega, the Atanga Sub-county chairperson, said they have launched a manhunt for the hunters who are behind the uncontrolled bushfires.

Grass-thatched huts are a common sight in northern Uganda, but the grass has all been burnt down.
“I have reached out to the head of security, the Resident District Commissioner, to ensure that tough measures are instituted,” he said.
The Pader District agricultural officer, Mr Peter Odongokara, told Daily Monitor that bush burning is now across the entire district.

“On average, there are between two and three cases of bush burning in each village, where residents have lost between two and five acres of sorghum, Sim-sim and other crops,” he said.
The Aswa region police spokesperson, Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema, warned that whoever will be found culpable will face the law.
“We have received several reports of bush burning where the locals have lost their property and investigations are ongoing so that action is taken,” he said.

Fatal incidents
In December last year, a-39-year-old woman, Grace Alinga, died at St Joseph Hospital- Kitgum where she was rushed for medical attention.
Reports indicate that on the fateful day, the deceased saw fire spreading towards her home and she rushed to rescue her property. But she ended up getting trapped inside her grass-thatched hut and got killed in the fire.
In 2016, a mother and her child died in a wildfire in Kilunga, Pajule Sub-county in Pader District. Grace Alinga, 40, died from St Joseph Hospital- Kitgum where she was rushed for an emergency medical attention, while her six month old baby, died from Pajule Health Centre IV after sustaining severe burns.

Effect on climate
A 2014 report by Uganda National Metrological Authority indicates indiscriminate bush burning has worsened climate change since it has a great impact on the environment.

[email protected]