Two children killed by mudslides in Kigezi

 

According to the Police spokesman for Kigezi region, Elly Maate, the incident claimed Everist Ahimbisibwe, 9 and Cleo Amanya, 4, both daughters of Julius Atwine.

 

Maate regretted the incident which he blamed on the torrential rains that are hitting the region and cannot be avoided.

 

He said the bodies of the two juveniles were retrieved by the Police and postmortem done as the bodies were handed over to relatives for burial.

 

Maate, however, advised the people living on steep hills to relocate to safer areas until the end of the rainy season. Heavy rains also have also pounded Maziba sub-county in Kabale district, destroying many buildings.

 

Maziba Primary School was destroyed.

 

Elias Jonathan Byaruhanga, the head teacher of Maziba Primary School, said classroom blocks were destroyed as well as his own office.

 

According to Samuel Ngambe, a resident of Maziba, more destruction was seen in the villages of Kambibi and Rwabakyina while 22 houses were swept off and plantations destroyed in Kaharo sub-county.

 

"We are afraid that our people are going to die of hunger if nothing is done by the Government," said Ngambe.

 

Other area affected include Kagugo village in Rubaya sub-county.

 

Patrick Besigye Keihwa, the Kabale district chairperson, said the district is currently overwhelmed by rains but they have sent a team to assess the magnitude of the problem.

 

 

 Part of Ntungamo-Katuna Road has been closed by UNRA after being affected by rains. Photo by Job Namanya

Environmentalists are calling for proper land usage in the area if such calamities are to be handled.

 

Milton Kwesiga, the executive director for Africa Disaster Reduction Research and Emergency Missions (ADREEM), a local organisation involved in environmental protection in the area, noted that a lot of deforestation has been ongoing in the area without strong control from authorities.

 

"Our tree protection strategies are not that realistic in Uganda because most people who own personal tree plantations just cut them in any way they choose without any limitations," he said.

 

Kwesiiga added that massive wetland degradation has also been exhibited in the region. 

He also said that some poor farming methods by farmers in the region have had devastating effects. 

 

"There is need for sensitisation on proper environment management. Our people still use poor farming methods. There is also lack of guidance on settlement, especially in hilly areas," said Kwesiga.