BY JOACKIM KULE
A section of flood victims encamped at some temporarily established camps in Kasese district has revealed that it might take long for them to return to their homes because they have become familiar with the situation in their various places of refuge.
Their remarks follow some financial and other forms of support that they have been receiving from both government and nongovernmental organizations.
Some of the victims were heard yesterday during an exit meeting aimed at officially closing an Emergency Assistance to Mud/Landslides – Affected Households’ Project in Kasese district implemented by Caritas Kasese with funding from Catholic Relief Services that they had become reluctant to go back to their homes because life is the camps seems to be better than when they were before the disaster.
The meeting was held at the district multipurpose hall in Nyamwamba Division.
The victims most of whom encamped at Busingo, Kithangetse and Bughungu in Kyondo sub-county, Bukonzo County East testified before the district leadership that they should be left in the camps so that they continue receiving support from different donors.
Their remarks surprised the district leadership and some development partners who had attended the meeting.
The Kasese Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Eriab Begumya Ntarwete who was among the leaders who were surprised, noted that the people enjoying life in the camps had missed a point.
He observed need for all the stakeholders to sensitize the flood victims about the proper utilization of the money given to them.
According to him, the money should be used to build new structures on their pieces of land that were not washed away by floods and hence embark on establishing new development projects.
Mr. Mustafa Kikusa, the Kasese District Principal Assistant Secretary attached to the Chief Administrative Officer’s Office, appealed to the development partners to design a plan that would involve preparing the camp occupants to go back to their homes.
According to him, the camps are associated with a number of behaviours and health related risks.
Christine Felly Lamwaka, the Program Manager for Emergencies at the Catholic Relief Services, humbly encouraged the victims to go back to their respective homes and wait for any form of relief when they are out of the camps.
ENDS