Rains worry Bududa residents

By Joseph Wanzusi

People living in the landslide-prone areas of Bulambuli, Sironko, Bududa and Manafwa districts are worried as torrential rains continue to pound the hilly terrains in Bugisu sub-region.

According to Bumasobo parish chief in Bumasifwa sub-county in Sironko district, residents of Bumaguze, Bumasobo, Bumukune parts of Bufaka and Bunamanda have already experienced minor mudslides where crops have been destroyed.

Apollo Bubolo Mugonyi said a total of 150 people registered were ready to be relocated by government to safer areas following a landslide that hit Bugimwera village killing two people in June but to date they have not received any communication from the Prime Minister's office .

“The current rains have caused Namasilili and Kigenya rivers to burst their banks killing some domestic animals while the road connecting Busulani sub-county to Bumasobo parish has been rendered impassable after Mahapa bridge was flooded,” Mugonyi said.

In Manafwa district over 400 residents in several village face food shortage after a hailstorm destroyed gardens on Monday in Buwatuwa, Bukhabusi, Bukimwanga, Butiru and Namawondo parishes in Bukhabusi sub-county.

Bukhabusi LC 3 boss Robert Wabwala told New Vision that Buwabwala-Bubulo and Bukhabusi- Bubulo via Namawondo roads have had their bridges damaged by flooded rivers while strong winds blew off the roof of a classroom block at Buwabwala Primary School.

 In Bulambuli district, several remote villages in Bwikonge, Bukhalu and Nabbongo sub-counties have been flooded by overflowing Sisiyi river while the hilly sub-counties of Lusya, Bulago, Buginyanya, Buluganya and Namisuni can only be accessed by four-wheel drive vehicles, the district chairman Simon Peter Wananzofu said.

Wananzofu complained that government promised to relocate over 25,000 households from risky to safe areas that were recently identified at Buyaga, Nabbongo and Bulegeni but implementation was still far off putting the life of the affected families in danger as rains continue to pound the area.

“When the third deputy prime minister Gen. Moses Ali led a cabinet sub-committee on disaster to assess the situation it was agreed that the affected communities be relocated before the September rains start but up to now nothing has been done,” Wananzofu said.

Bududa district boss John Baptist Nambeshe said the tents promised by the office of the prime minister were yet to be delivered to the district to enable affected families leave the high risk landslide prone villages.

District councillor Phoebe Lubango who hails from Bulucheke sub-county said that in some landslide prone areas water was gushing out of the once dry ground a sign that rain water has percolated the soils that may easily cause massive mudslides.