El Nino to affect Uganda and 10 other African countries.

By Godfrey Ojore  

Weather experts have predicted that the El Nino rains will begin in September and will affect 11 African countries including Uganda.

In Uganda, it will expose people living in highland areas such as the slopes of Mt. Elgon to landslides and flooding in parts of Teso and West Nile and other lake shores.

Minister of state for disaster preparedness and refugees Musa Ecweru said the news was disclosed in an ongoing conference held in Dar-el- Salam by weather experts and technocrats from the 11 IGAD countries meeting there.

Ecweru said Uganda had sent representatives to that meeting on El Nino preparedness. He said there was need for the people in the country to be on alert considering the weight of those rains when they begin.

 "This conference was called by the IGAD countries to see how best they can mitigate the pending El Nino rains so that they can reduce the suffering of the citizen of the 11 countries," Ecweru said while addressing the media in Soroti.

Although experts have not revealed the epicenter of the rains, the government has obligations to issue warnings to its people to be on alert to avoid being taken by surprise.

"It is critical that the countries that are threatened because of these changes of weather must be prepared. That is why my ministry is calling on the agricultural sector to encourage people to plant first maturing crops before the rains begin," Ecweru said.

He also announced the need for the ministry of Health to plan the distribution of treated mosquito nets across the country because the cases of malaria may double when the rains begin.

"The works ministry should also be prepared to ensure that roads are not cut off," Ecweru explained.