Floods: Rwenzori locals seek solutions as Museveni tours
A man rescues his house properties using a canoe boat in Kyobe Village, Bweramule Sub-county, Ntoroko District, after River Semuliki burst its banks and cut off six sub-counties last year. PHOTO | ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- President Museveni will this week tour Rwenzori Sub-region to assess progress of the PDM programme
As President Museveni embarks on his Parish Development Model (PDM) tour in the Rwenzori and Tooro sub-regions this week, locals have asked him to find a lasting solution for communities affected by recurring floods.
The Rwenzori Sub-region, which comprises the districts of Kasese, Ntoroko, and Bundibugyo, has long been plagued by natural disasters such as floods, mudslides, landslides, and prolonged dry spells.
These recurring calamities have led to significant loss of life and property, leaving many residents struggling to rebuild their lives.
In Ntoroko District, the sub-counties of Kanara have faced severe flooding since 2019, with several villages completely submerged due to rising water levels from Lake Albert.
Meanwhile, residents in the sub-counties of Butungama, Bweramule, and Rwebisengo have been repeatedly affected by fresh floods from River Semuliki, which forms the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Leaders have expressed concern that, despite the introduction of the Parish Development Model (PDM), natural disasters have severely impacted beneficiaries, disrupting their enterprises.
A September 3, 2024 Ntoroko District Disaster Management Committee report showed that a total of 30,224 people from 6,980 households have been affected by the floods. Of these, 14,183 are children and 874 are people with disabilities.
Mr William Kasoro, the LC5 chairperson for Ntoroko, said more than 9,300 internally displaced people in the district require land for resettlement.
“The President can direct a land swap between the Tooro Semuliki Game Reserve and the flooded areas in Kanara. The submerged land can be gazetted as a protected area, while residents are relocated to the game reserve. Alternatively, the government can provide funds to purchase land for these displaced people,” Mr Kasoro suggested.
He added that the district is struggling to implement PDM, a poverty alleviation programme, due to recurring floods. According to him, even the beneficiaries who received Shs1 million under the programme misused the funds .
“You cannot give Shs1 million to someone living on top of water without access to basic social services. Our priority should be resettling these people. We are requesting an enhancement of infrastructure planning figures. A Shs1 billion allocation cannot solve our infrastructure challenges. We need to build resilient structures that can withstand floods,” he emphasised.
Mr Kasoro further revealed that of the Shs1 billion allocated to the district, nearly Shs760 million was spent on constructing a bridge at Kyobe. He stressed that a greater focus on resilient infrastructure would help reduce the impact of floods.
The chairperson also appealed for more government funding to construct a permanent bridge over River Semuliki to connect Uganda to eastern towns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“We have a significant market in the towns of Bunia in eastern DRC, especially for beef. Unfortunately, Ugandan traders buying cattle to sell in the DRC have to make the animals swim across River Semuliki every Friday. Over 500 cows cross this way, and some are lost to crocodile attacks. A permanent bridge would enhance cross-border trade,” Mr Kasoro explained.
Affected areas
Several schools in Ntoroko that were submerged by floods since 2019 have not been reconstructed. Learners were instead relocated to study under tents amid harsh conditions.
Rwangara Primary School, one of the affected schools, has experienced flooding since 2019, with rising waters repeatedly cutting off access to the school. By the third term of 2024, the school was completely submerged, forcing its relocation to Rwenyana internally displaced persons (IDP) camp, where classes now take place in tents.
Similarly, Umoja Primary School has operated in torn makeshift shelters at the IDP camp since 2022, after its original structures were submerged by floods in 2019.
At Masaka Primary School in Butungama Sub-county, learners were relocated and have been studying under tents since late last year.
The Kanara Town Council chairperson, Mr David Kor, said his sub-county, which borders Lake Albert, has been severely affected by rising water levels since 2019, making it difficult for several PDM beneficiaries to invest the funds in the enterprises as intended.
“You can’t expect someone to properly utilise PDM funds when they are constantly suffering from floods. The President’s initiative was good, but the money came at a time when people were being displaced. Some beneficiaries may have been forced to use the funds for other urgent needs instead,” Mr Kor said.
He urged President Museveni, during his visit to the sub-region, to come up with a long-term solution for the impact of these disasters. Mr Kor also proposed the establishment of a special fund to support those affected by floods.
“For people to truly benefit from PDM, the government must first find a solution for those displaced by floods. They need to be resettled. Many people in our area relied on fishing as their selected enterprise under PDM, but the floods destroyed their boats, making it impossible for them to continue their work,” he explained.
He pointed out that the government has introduced strict regulations through the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), manned by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, requiring fishermen to use boats of a recommended size and quality.
Unfulfilled presidential pledges
Mr Kor also reminded the President of the government's unfulfilled pledge to tarmac the 51-kilometre Karugutu-Kanara Road, which connects to the Kanara Landing Site on Lake Albert.
“About four years ago, people along the road were compensated for the project, but construction has yet to begin. This is the same road used to transport fish and other produce to the market. Right now, we have to pay Shs20,000 to reach Fort Portal City. PDM beneficiaries cannot effectively transport products under these conditions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Richard Bomera, the chairperson for Bulembia Division in Kasese Municipality, called on the president to give a final position on the fate of Kilembe Mines Hospital. The facility was ravaged by the floods of River Nyamwamba in 2020, after which the government withdrew its funding.
Compiled by Alex Ashaba, Yoweri Kaguta, Moureen Biira & Longino Muhindo
