PM Nabbanja orders locals to vacate river banks in Bugisu, Sebei

The Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, and local leaders tour a section of a road that was destroyed by floods in Northern City Division, Mbale City, on July 31, 2022. PHOTO/YAHUDDU KITUNZI 

What you need to know:

  • The prime minister also noted that they did an aerial view of Mt Elgon and found that there was a big crack.

The Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, has directed locals living near river banks in Bugisu and Sebei sub-regions to immediately vacate such areas as heavy rain continues to pound.

Ms Nabbanja made the remarks during her visit to  Mbale City yesterday to assess the damage caused by the downpour.

She said the disaster was a result of environmental degradation.
“I was here two weeks ago and President Museveni was categorically clear that people who are destroying the environment will bring us problems. This disaster is due to environmental degradation. I believe it could have been avoided if our people had not degraded the riverbanks,” she said while addressing journalists at Mbale City mortuary.

She said the communities have to start respecting nature to avoid climate change effects.
The floods ravaged several areas in Mbale City yesterday leaving at least 10 people dead with 8 bodies so far recovered by press time. This followed the bursting of banks of rivers such as Nabuyonga, Namatala and Nambaale.

Mbale Industrial Park, Livingstone University, Resort Hotel and Shekinah Glory Christian International School, Mbale were submerged by water.

Ms Nabbanja said the government is engaging police and UPDF leadership to send a team of experts, including marine officers to recover the missing bodies.
“I was sent here by the President to assess the situation and to ensure the missing bodies are found and trapped vehicles are removed,” she said.

Ms Nabbanja said starting next week, a team of government officials will visit the affected districts to sensitise locals on the dangers of environmental degradation.
“We are supposed to come here on Tuesday next week to sensitise our people to leave the river banks,” she said.

The prime minister also noted that they did an aerial view of Mt Elgon and found that there was a big crack.
“We did an aerial view and we saw a big crack and I want to inform you that the NRM government is committed to saving the environment so that we can save people from such tragedies,” she said.

Ms Agnes Nandutu, the State minister for Karamoja, who is also the Woman MP for Bududa District, in June said people living in the affected villages with cracks should be relocated.

“If the heavy rain continues, the entire hill of Bubiita in Bubiita Sub-county will be swept away. So we need to relocate people as quickly as possible,” she said.

She adde that as MPs from Bugisu, they wrote a memorandum to the President to allow resettlement of people to safe places within their respective districts.