The Ministry for Disaster Preparedness yesterday shifted the blame of the famine crisis in parts of north, east and West Nile to the meteorology department over its apparent failure to adequately predict weather patterns.

This came yesterday as the government grappled for answers on what is turning out to be an embarrassing crisis.

Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi, together with the minister in charge of relief and disaster preparedness, Prof Tarsis Kabwegyere, admitted that unless the information was adequately collected from grassroots when disaster strikes, the government could not depend on the meteorological department for any predictions.

"Our meteorological department is very poor and a lot is still needed to strengthen it if we are to depend on it for early warning signs of any disaster," Prof. Nsibambi said.

Prof. Nsibambi, together with all the ministers under his office, was before the Presidential Affairs Committee to present their Shs144 billion ministerial policy statement. The committee passed the budget without much ado.

And while responding to numerous queries from legislators about the government's plan regarding the now famished regions of northern, and north east, Prof. Kabwegyere said there was an urgent need for the country to have the machinery that predicts disasters.

At least 35 people have reportedly died as a result of famine-related complaints in the Teso, Acholi, Lango and West Nile regions. Prof. Nsibambi however said help had been sent adding that more Shs10 billion had been released for food rations in the affected areas. Prof. Kabwegyere while meeting the MPs from the affected areas on Wednesday said government needed close to Shs170billion if all the affected people were to be adequately fed.

Meanwhile, during a closed meeting of the opposition MPs chaired by Opposition whip, Mr Kassiano Wadri (FDC, Terego), legislators asked Prof. Kabwegyere and State Minister for Agriculture Henry Bagiire to apologise to the suffering people over utterances that those dying are drunkards and that the famine was being exaggerated by the opposition leaders who represent the people in the affected areas.

Also legislators under the umbrella organisation, the Parliamentary Forum on Food Security, Population and Development in a press conference at Parliament yesterday said they had drafted a motion where they would urge the government to restrict the exportation of foodstuffs.