Storm displaces learners, ravages Luweero villages

Downpourhas left several classroom blocks de-roofed while a number of residents have their respective houses and gardens destroyed in more than 4 villages in Luweero District.

In Kamira Town Council, more than 12 houses were de-roofed on August 15 as a storm ravaged the area. The devastating storm de-roofed two blocks housing the Primary Seven, Primary Six, library and Head teacher’s office at Kamira Church of Uganda Primary School.

Norah Nalwese, the school head teacher said while no pupil got injured, the school buildings need to be repaired.

“We pray that both the government and well-wishers will come to the rescue of our school. The children cannot study under trees. We need quick intervention,” she told Monitor in a Wednesday interview.

Elizephan Wagaba, the chairperson of Kamira Village in Kamira Town Council said some of the affected residents have been rendered homeless after their respective houses were destroyed.

“Some of our people lost banana and coffee plantations among other crops. We call upon the district authorities to come to the rescue of the affected residents,” he said.

In Bombo Town Council, the storm destroyed school buildings, gardens and a number of businesses.

“We have classroom block at Nkokonjeru Umea Primary School that got damaged while houses belonging to a number of residents got destroyed. The farmers registered losses after their respective gardens got destroyed,” the Town Chairperson Osman Kassim Ramathan observed.

Rajab Khemis, a resident at Bajjo Village in Bombo Town Council said that his house was damaged by a falling tree as a result of the heavy storm.

“My family escaped unhurt, but we lost our house. We also lost the banana and coffee plantations as a result of the heavy storm,” he revealed.

Luweero District Chairperson Erasto Kibirango in an interview with Monitor disclosed that the district technical team is yet to present an assessment report about the damage at the affected schools and residential areas.

“Two schools had their respective classroom buildings affected. It is also unfortunate that the storm destroyed several homes and gardens in several parts of the district. We are waiting for an assessment report from our technical team,” he said.

August –December   usually constitutes the second   major rain season in Uganda, but weather experts recently predicted that the rain will be destructive in some parts of the country, especially in central region and urged the public to be alert.