Bulambuli district hit by floods

PIC: Journalists interviewing Buwabwala LCII chairperson Annet Wandukwa while standing in the flooded compound in Bwikhonge sub-county. (Credit: Paul Watala)

HEAVY RAINS

BULAMBULI- Floods have ravaged five sub-counties in Bulambuli district, leaving over 680 households and pit latrines submerged by water hence forcing families to resort to open defecation. Residents fear a cholera outbreak.

 Several families have fled their homes and taken shelter in the nearby schools, churches and trading centres.

"Last year, Bulambuli district was among the worst ravaged district with cholera outbreak in the country," John Matingo, the Bwikhonge sub-county LC3 chairperson, said.

The floods have left household property worth millions of shillings destroyed and crops in gardens at harvesting stage sub merged, hence looming famine.

"We cannot even risk entering soaked pit latrines because one can end up falling inside," James Wandukwa said.

Wandukwa said mud and wattle houses have been left on the ground, while semi-permanent ones have been weakened with visible cracks that put lives of the families in danger. 

He said floods have been caused by the heavy down pour that is pounding Elgon region day and night that has forced River Sipi to burst its banks hence causing floods.

Wandukwa said the affected sub-counties are those that are located in the lower part of Bulambuli that include Bwikhonge, Bunambutye, Muyembe, Bukhalu and Nabongo.

"The most affected are those that had fled the hilly landslide prone areas and bought land in lower parts, but have now again been attacked by floods" He added.

"We fled landslide prone areas hoping for a good life in the lower parts, but now floods have made our lives more miserable. We cannot sleep because all the beddings are wet and others have been swept away," Mary Namasobo said.

"The rain is too much. We may need Noah's ark to save our children from being swept away," Rebecca Muduwa, a 75-year-old mother, said.

She said even the water sources are now contaminated due to poor disposal of human excretion, adding that the Government and other concerned leaders should intervene before cholera outbreak hits the district again.

Annet Wandukwa, the LCII chairperson for Buwabwala parish, lashed at the area members of Parliament Sarah Wekomba and Alex Burundo, for neglecting their electorates while in need.

 "We regret having elected them to Parliament because they lack lobbying skills as other members do for their suffering populations. Budada leaders lobboed and their people were helped," She said,

Wandukwa appealed to the minister for energy, Irene Muloni, to approach the office of the prime minister for relief, adding that the most needed items include tarpaulins, water purification tablets, food, and medicine.

She said no lives have been lost so far since the rains started, apart from the animals, adding that children have remained sickly because of the weather.