260 landslide victims stuck with no food

Landslide survivours in Sironko District are starving due to lack of food and beddings since they were displaced last week.

The survivours, who are about 260 according to district authorities, are currently living in the temporary camps at Bugimagu Primary School.

The landslides hit the sub-counties of Zesui and Masaba, killing a number of people and displacing hundreds. Four bodies have since been recovered.

The landslides were triggered by heavy rain, which has been pounding Bugisu Sub-region and other parts of the country.

Mr Patrick Kakhenje, one of the survivours, said government has not given them any relief since the disaster hit.

“The government and the district officials have not come here since the disaster occurred,” he said.

The Simuma Parish chairperson, Mr Robert Mabusi, said the government has neglected the displaced people.

“The government should come in and rescue our people who are starving because they have nothing to eat,” he said.

The Sironko District Woman MP, Ms Florence Nambozo Mayoga, who visited the landslides victims on Sunday, said she will write to government over the matter.

“We passed money (in budget) to cater for disasters and I am wondering why OPM (Office of the Prime Minister) has not delivered relief items to my people. I am going to follow it up,” she said.

Ms Nambozo, who delivered about 600kgs of maize flour and 200kgs of rice to the victims was shocked to hear that even the district disaster committee have not come at the scene to assess the damages and help people.

She, however, said there is need for the people living in high risk areas to relocate to safer areas.

However, the Sironko Disaster Committee chairman, Mr Robert Nambadi, said OPM is going to deliver relief items to the affected residents, soon.