Gov’t urged to resettle Kasese flood victims trapped in camps

Kasese, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  The government has been urged to consider permanently resettling persons who have been displaced by the recent floods that devastated Kasese district. Those with the greatest need include persons who lost their homes and crop gardens in Karusandara sub-county, and those in Kanyangeya, Nyamwamba Division in Kasese municipality.

More than 600 households in Karusandara are starving as a result of waterlogging while in Kanyangeya, over 70 households are still trapped in camps as water oozes from underground, in what used to be their homes. 

The area leaders say that the government needs to resettle the victims and provide a permanent solution to the problem. Resettlement would involve the relocation to safer areas and providing support for them to establish infrastructure and sources of livelihood, away from the deplorable conditions they are currently living in. 

Busongora South Member of Parliament Jackson Mbaju Kathika states that the affected community is also dealing with the absence of key infrastructures like bridges and schools which were washed away by floods, adding that the absence of such infrastructure cuts off the community from other services like health and markets. 

He notes that it would only be right for the government to resettle the affected community from the flood-prone areas.  Similarly, James Mutahinga, a local council secretary at Kanyangeya Main cell says that many of what used to be peoples homes have either collapsed or at the verge of collapsing after being weakened by the stagnant water.

Jockus Abubaker, one of the affected residents says that the soils in Kanyangeya cell have gradually become soft which may not accommodate structures soon even when the water is channelled out. 

Ivan Ajuna from Karusandara urges that persons whose land remain submerged in water, filled with boulders and food crops destroyed cannot live the camp without the help of the government.

Kasese Municipality MP Robert Centenary reiterates a call to the government to desilt River Nyamwamba, as another permanent solution to the flooding problem in Kasese. 

Laura Beutler, the technical coordinator at Malteser International, a humanitarian organisation observes that the absence of infrastructure such as bridges is already hampering service delivery to the community.

Kasese Deputy Chief Administrative Officers Samuel Ssenku Senkya earlier told URN that the district is engaging the government for a permanent resettlement place for the victims.

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URN