Parliament wants status report on disasters
Sep 13, 2011
PARLIAMENT has directed disaster preparedness minister Stephen Mallinga to present a status report on Uganda’s level of preparedness and the interventions taken on disasters that have ravaged various parts of the country.
By JOYCE NAMUTEBI
PARLIAMENT has directed disaster preparedness minister Stephen Mallinga to present a status report on Uganda’s level of preparedness and the interventions taken on disasters that have ravaged various parts of the country.
The motion was moved by Alice Alaso (FDC) on Thursday following reports and concerns raised by a number of MPs on the disasters.
Heavy rains have caused havoc in various parts of the country, killing people, destroying crops and washing away bridges and roads.
One of the latest incidents was in Bulambuli district where landslides buried over 20 people.
Disaster preparedness state minister Musa Ecweru recently called for a national emergency coordination centre to manage the increasing disasters.
Rwampara MP Vincent Mujuni (NRM) informed the house that his constituency had been hit by hailstones, affecting thousands of people.
He appealed to the agriculture ministry to provide seeds to the people.
Mujuni also urged the works ministry to reconstruct bridges that have been washed away and the education ministry to provide emergency funding to schools.
He appealed to the Government to provide a radar to the meteorological department to give early warning about impending disasters.
Bukwo district Woman MP Tete Chelangat said the heavy rains had greatly damaged their road. The MP of Kongasis in Bukwo, Nelson Sabila, also narrated to fellow legislators how it had taken him four days to reach Kampala from his constituency, a stretch of only 77km.
The MPs noted that they pass via Kenya while going to their constituencies or coming to Kampala.
Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu (FDC) said since 2001 when he joined Parliament, MPs from Kapchorwa region have been raising the issue of poor roads and the Government has been promising to work on them. He wondered how long it would take the Government to fulfill its promises.
Parliament told Mallinga to present the report soon after MPs return from recess.
The Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi, reiterated the Government’s sympathy with the suffering people.
“We will continue to build capacity, with support of Parliament, to respond to these problems,†Mbabazi said.
He assured the members that the Bukwo-Swamu road would be tarmacked. Mbabazi directed the works minister to come to Parliament and make a statement on the Government’s plans for Kapchorwa.
PARLIAMENT has directed disaster preparedness minister Stephen Mallinga to present a status report on Uganda’s level of preparedness and the interventions taken on disasters that have ravaged various parts of the country.
The motion was moved by Alice Alaso (FDC) on Thursday following reports and concerns raised by a number of MPs on the disasters.
Heavy rains have caused havoc in various parts of the country, killing people, destroying crops and washing away bridges and roads.
One of the latest incidents was in Bulambuli district where landslides buried over 20 people.
Disaster preparedness state minister Musa Ecweru recently called for a national emergency coordination centre to manage the increasing disasters.
Rwampara MP Vincent Mujuni (NRM) informed the house that his constituency had been hit by hailstones, affecting thousands of people.
He appealed to the agriculture ministry to provide seeds to the people.
Mujuni also urged the works ministry to reconstruct bridges that have been washed away and the education ministry to provide emergency funding to schools.
He appealed to the Government to provide a radar to the meteorological department to give early warning about impending disasters.
Bukwo district Woman MP Tete Chelangat said the heavy rains had greatly damaged their road. The MP of Kongasis in Bukwo, Nelson Sabila, also narrated to fellow legislators how it had taken him four days to reach Kampala from his constituency, a stretch of only 77km.
The MPs noted that they pass via Kenya while going to their constituencies or coming to Kampala.
Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu (FDC) said since 2001 when he joined Parliament, MPs from Kapchorwa region have been raising the issue of poor roads and the Government has been promising to work on them. He wondered how long it would take the Government to fulfill its promises.
Parliament told Mallinga to present the report soon after MPs return from recess.
The Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi, reiterated the Government’s sympathy with the suffering people.
“We will continue to build capacity, with support of Parliament, to respond to these problems,†Mbabazi said.
He assured the members that the Bukwo-Swamu road would be tarmacked. Mbabazi directed the works minister to come to Parliament and make a statement on the Government’s plans for Kapchorwa.