Gerald Bareebe
26 August 2008
Kampala — Several parts of the country face flooding caused by heavy rains that are expected within the next two months, government announced yesterday.
Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Minister Tarsis Kabwegyere told journalists in Kampala yesterday that the epicentre of the heavy rains is expected to be eastern Uganda, where an estimated 3.5 million people are still trying to rebuild their lives after last year's floods which destroyed homes and crops.
"The public is highly warned of this looming disaster," Prof. Kabwegyere said.
"We expect unusual rains coupled with hailstones and thunderstorms. We are not aware when it will happen but we are preparing for it. Weather experts told us it could be September or October."
He added: "We don't want the public to say we didn't warn them. If you are in a flood-prone area, stay warned. Fishermen and those staying near water bodies should also be aware that we expect heavy storms and therefore, should also stand warned."
Accompanied by Ms Rose Bwenvu, the principal disaster manager in the ministry, Prof. Kabwegyere said people staying on mountain slopes in areas like Bundibugyo, Kasese and around Mt Elgon should be prepared for relocation because the government expects landslides in these areas soon.
He said the government has set aside Shs6.7 billion to help in disaster management response and that some of the money has already been used to buy food to prepare for the looming disaster.
"We are not going to sit and wait for the disaster to hit us and we respond," Prof Kabwegyere said. "The recent floods which hit six districts in eastern Uganda taught us a lesson. We are now opening up food centres in every region in Uganda to help in case an emergency response is required."
In 2007, heavy rainfall caused flooding, the worst in a decade across eastern and northern Uganda. The most affected areas were eastern Teso, the north-eastern sub-region, central Elgon region, the lowlands of northern Lango and the Acholi sub-regions. The government later declared a state of emergency which allowed it to divert money allocated for other programmes to the flood-stricken areas.
Prof. Kabwegyere said those areas are now facing a humanitarian crisis because all the crops planted in the aftermath of floods have failed, leaving 3.5 million people in need of food aid. Prof. Kabwegyere's warning comes after the release of a June 2008 Annual Failed States Index which warned that Uganda lacks the means to prevent or cope with unpleasant shocks, whether natural, social, political or economic.
While on his recent tour of eastern region, President Yoweri Museveni received complaints from locals over the government's slugging response to the crisis. In response, he announced a Shs6.7 billion fund to buy emergency food aid and also gave Teso Diocese Development Association, a local NGO, Shs1 billion to buy and supply fast-growing seeds.
Prof. Kabwegyere revealed that a disaster assessment team led by Vice President Gilbert Bukenya, which returned from Karamoja last week, found the situation worse than his ministry had estimated.
He said: "We are supposed to provide food to 3.5 million people in eastern Uganda. We are already feeding 80 per cent of the people in Karamoja. We expect more floods. How can you feed people for a day, a week, a month or a year? We are now resorting to prevention measures to reduce the effects of these catastrophes.
"The hunger in Karamoja is too bad to the extent that the people have resorted to eating tree leaves," Prof. Kabwegyere added. "In fact we should commend the government and the World Food Programme; feeding 80 per cent is not easy; we are feeding the whole region."
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