Government has through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) revealed that about 12,000 people in over 20 districts have been displaced by landslides, storms and floods following the second season rainfall in Uganda.
The early September release by Martin Owor, a Commissioner in the OPM states that the rains “will continue up to December, causing massive floods and landslides in the mountainous areas.”
Mr Owor says those with homes on steep slopes should shift to churches, and “other places including “safe homes of relatives, friends, schools and mosques.”
Mr Owor listed Rakai, Kalungu, Masaka, Mpigi, Wakiso, Mukono, Buikwe, Jinja, Mayuge, Bugiri, Busia, Kalangala, Namiyango and Buvuma districts as having high chance of occurrence of hailstorms and lightning.
Members of Parliament on 13th September, 2017 tasked the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness to come up with a long term strategic plan that provides a proactive action plan in dealing with disasters in the country.
The group said the ministry “takes long to respond to these issues when we raise them; they are very casual when it comes to handling these disasters yet we need them to understand the urgency of the matter.” Hon. Richard Gafabusa Muhumuza (Bwamba County) said.
“We need to see the ministry acting proactively; that is why it is called the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, so that it can be prepared,” Hon. Hassan Fungaroo Kaps (Obongi County) said.
Hon. Susan Amero (Amuria District) said, “Parliament availed money for disaster at committee level but the Ministry of Finance deemed it fit to retain some of this money, which is wrong.”
Staff Writer.
