By: Derrick Senyonga

KAMPALA

Government of Uganda has through the Ministry of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees come up with immediate, mid-term and long term approaches designed to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Rwenzori sub-region.

During a meeting convened at the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday afternoon, Hon. Hillary Onek, the Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees told a delegation that included local leaders, politicians from Ntoroko District and representatives from the humanitarian agencies that the country was grappling with climate change related disasters which could worsen based on indicators by the Uganda National Meteorological Agency (UNME) showing that the country will experience near-average to above-average rains in the months of September, October, November and December.

Hon. Onek said that more resources need to be mobilized to support in the restoration and protection of the environment, harmonize climate change related factors and address emerging humanitarian issues in Ntoroko, Kasese and Bundibugyo Districts. The Minister said that the current flooding in Ntoroko which started early last month had caused extensive damage, mainly to post-agricultural livelihoods since the affected people are mainly into livestock keeping, farming and fishing.

“There is obvious damage to road infrastructure, social services like schools, health services, shelter. And we have also seen internal displacement as one of the outcomes,” revealed Hon. Onek who added that “30,124 people have been impacted by the floods” and that “up to 24,858 persons are currently internally displaced living in Ntoroko”

Calling for support to protect the environment and serve humanity the Minister of State Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hon. Lillian Aber highlighted on some of the short-term interventions needed.

“We need to provide relief, we need to provide support to the affected people, of which our department, our Ministry, what we can do is normally the food items, which are not adequate because we are dealing with a lot of issues, the whole country, so the resource basket is limited, so we have to scatter the little resources that we have across. And the non-food items, which are also limited, mostly we work together with the Red Cross. But we would love to do more,” she said.

Hon. Anne Mary Kobugabe Tumwine (R) and Brig. Gen. Fred Rugadya (C) look on as a presentation is being made

The District Chairperson LCV, Hon. Kasoro Williams told the meeting that Ntoroko was being affected by climate related disasters as a result of activities from other districts saying that in 2019 when L. Albert burst its banks, the water went offshore 7kms into community land submerging several towns and displacing people who should be resettled.

“How can women breastfeed children when they are inside the water suspended in wooden structures? Where is their sanitation? Where do they get the water that they use domestically?” wondered Kasoro who said that if funds should be availed for the purchase of land on high-raised ground.  “As you leave the lower land of the rift, as you are going to Semiliki Wildlife Reserve, there are even individuals who own land that is even titled. We are submitting very soon to OPM those two people who have expressed interest to sell to government,” he added.

Also discussed was repairing and equipping damaged health facilities, repair, reinforce and re-equipping of damaged schools, reassessing the designs for road and road infrastructure for flood resilience, repairing of safe water sources and support inform of seeds and agriculture inputs for the planting.

The meeting also highlighted the need of financial and livelihood support for affected households, reforestation and deforestation as well as relocation of social service facilities and resettlement of the IDPs from flood zones plus the development and implementation of community resilience projects.

END