BY JOACKIM KULE
Residents and the local leadership of Kyarumba Sub County, Bukonzo County East in Kasese district are seeking for a permanent solution to the disasters that have repeatedly led to loss of property and lives of people.
They argue that for some years, they have been experiencing different forms of disasters including flooding of rivers, land and mudslides.
The residents sounded the remarks yesterday during an inception meeting in which the Umbrella for Journalists in Kasese (UJK) was seeking partnership with the community and the sub county leadership in implementing bamboo tree planting. The meeting was held at St. Michael Primary School in Mughanza village.
The three – month project codenamed “Protecting River Nyamughasana through bamboo tree planting” will see over 1,000 bamboo seedlings planted.
Mr. Absalom Bwambale, the Local Council I Chairperson for Mughanza village in Kanyatsi Parish told the meeting that they have continuously been experiencing disasters since 1991, 2007 and 2024.
He appealed to government and nongovernmental organizations to come up with solutions that would avert the challenge of flooding of rivers and landslides as a way of preventing further havoc.
Mr. Joyless Serebethe, who represented the Sub-county Community Development Officer, highlighted that the area was largely prone to disasters following the ever increasing population that influences the residents to compete for land and eventually end up applying some poor methods of farming.
He also mentioned that there were other communities including Kibirigha, Kiduku and Kihungu that needed an urgent attention of the development partners because of their susceptibility to disasters.
The Kyarumba Sub- county Chief, Ms. Geneva Kisura, who commended the efforts of the journalists in Kasese, advised the local population to ensure that they protect the trees and put in efforts to plant more trees on the bare hills.
Ms Russia Musoki, the Project Officer at Umbrella for Journalists in Kasese told the people that it was part of their desire to have the area secured from disasters, a reason why they mobilized for support from development partners to have the seedlings bought and planted along the river valley.
Mr. Simon Bikeke, the Coordinator for Umbrella for Journalists in Kasese (UJK) assured the community members that the association would lobby for more funds to procure bamboo seedlings to cater for other parts that will remain uncovered in the first phase.
A section of the community members welcomed the initiative of the journalists and pledged to offer their pieces of land for the implementation of the project.
ENDS