21 August 2007
editorial
Kampala — Reports that floods have displaced thousands in parts of Teso are as shocking as they are sobering. At least nine districts in the greater Teso region have been hit by torrential rains in a matter of days, leaving roads impassable, homes deserted, crops damaged and a situation described by junior Disaster Preparedness Minister Musa Ecweru as "catastrophic".
The good news, at least, is that no life has been lost so far. But considering what is reportedly on the ground, especially in the districts of Kumi, Katakwi, Soroti, and Bukedea, there is little doubt that Mr Ecweru used the right word.
Only that beyond the realisation of the intensity of the state of affairs in Teso, the minister has not told Ugandans what his ministry intends to do to contain the situation before it takes on real disaster proportions.
If the situation in Teso is as pathetic as has been reported, it creates perhaps one of the most challenging emergencies the government has had to deal with in recent history. Coming at a time when authorities were recently on the spot over the procurement of fake farm implements for internally displaced persons returning home in northern Uganda, we think that now is the time for the government to show that the nightmare of elastic machetes, or seeds that could not germinate, is firmly behind it.
What is happening in Teso, even if it were half as grim as it is, presents the best opportunity for the disaster preparedness ministry to redeem itself and reassert its credibility. While the ministry might say it is resource constrained, or that the ferocity of the rains was least expected, how fast the government comes to the rescue of communities will matter the most. Yes, the ministry's competence will be measured especially in the urgency with which the 2,000 homeless households can be given hope, however little it may be.
Even though certain non-governmental organisations may be willing to come into the fray, as things stand the displaced communities will look to the government first: the latest is that over 50 villages, each with about 1,000 people, face severe food shortages in the next few months because there will be no harvests. Surely, the government will have to do something.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2007 The Monitor. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
