BY JOACKIM KULE
Members of the Kasese District Disaster Management Committee have called upon all the development partners to continue offering support to the households who were recently affected by the landslides and floods despite the dissolution of the temporarily established camps.
In May this year, most parts of Kasese district witnessed heavy rains that caused floods and landslides leading to the destruction of property including houses and crops. The incident also left at least 13 people dead.
At a meeting that was held today at the District Multipurpose hall in Nyamwamba Division of Kasese Municipality, the members observed that much as the camps had been dissolved, the victims were still living a vulnerable life that is associated with stress and trauma.
The meeting was specifically meant to forge means of preparing the population ahead of the months September, October, November and December that have been forecasted to be associated with heavy rains.
Mr. Mustafa Kikusa, the Principal Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, who chaired the meeting, noted that the people who have been sent back to their homes from the camps are supposed to be empowered economically, comforted and counseled because most of them are still living with their relatives while others are staying in rented rooms at some trading centres.
He also implored some organizations that have been providing the victims with multipurpose cash to monitor if the beneficiaries have put up some structures to replace those that were demolished by the floods.
Mr. Jerome Kahyana, the Kasese District Sports Officer, who is a member of the committee, highlighted that the residents have continuously experienced various forms of disasters that affect their wellbeing in different ways.
According to him, in addition to the flood disasters, the district has been experiencing dry spells that affect crop production, hence leading to an acute shortage of food. He therefore called for a participatory approach towards mitigating the effects of disasters to the people.
Mr. Joseph Singoma, the Kasese District Senior Planner and Disaster Focal Person, observed need for the population to be sensitized about the early warning indicators of floods and some early warning systems that have been erected along the River Nyamwamba Valley.
Mr. John Baluku, the Director of St. John’s Ambulance, however, noted that the early warning systems in Bulembia Division were not helping the population because they were located in the mountainous areas where they are unable to produce alarms that are heard by the community members.
ENDS