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Uganda

Floods cut off tourism roads, wreak havoc across country

In Summary

  • Disaster. According to Uganda Red Cross, flash floods flattened at least 91 houses, displacing thousands, and drowned dozens of livestock.
  • In Kampala, ministry of Works spokesperson Susan Kataike said they had sent out engineers across the country to assess the extent of road infrastructure ruin, adding that the teams have one month to submit a report that will inform subsequent decisions.

Countrywide. Unrelenting torrential rains pounding different parts of the country have washed away half a dozen bridges, cut off communities, killed livestock and inundated farmlands to post risk of food insecurity.

In south-western Uganda, sector investors are panicking following increased cancellation of mountain gorilla tracking bookings by tourists due to impassable roads to Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga national parks.

Tourism is a top foreign exchange earner and Uganda last year raked in $1.4b (Shs5 trillion) from the sector, according to government statistics.

“Tourism roads should be given first priority because the tourism industry contributes a lot to Uganda’s economy,” Mr Bashir Hangi, the Uganda Wildlife Authority communications manager, said.

From Karamoja in the north-east to Kigezi Sub-region in south-western Uganda, and from Adjumani in West Nile to Butaleja in the east, residents and leaders voiced distress and despair.

For instance, in Kagadi where River Nguse burst its banks, washing away Kisaigi Bridge linking Kakumiro to the district, farmers and patients have to row in canoes to access markets and health facilities. By Monday last week, motorists plying the Moroto-Soroti route in eastern Uganda were diverted through Nakapiripirit and Mbale, which is 225 kilometres longer than the direct Moroto-to-Soroti stretch.

Transport operators have increased fares there by Shs20,000 to cater for increased fuel and repair costs, leaving many would-be travellers with modest means stranded.

A rapid mapping by Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) shows heavy rains over the past six weeks leaving trails of destruction, including of farmlands and mudslides, in more than 50 villages in 10 districts.

The humanitarian organisation reported that flash floods flattened at least 91 houses, displacing thousands, and drowned dozens of livestock.

There were no reported loss of human life. Two students that lightning struck on April 20 received treatment at Kahunde Health Centre while a cyclist washed down a stream in Malaba was rescued. “Presently, the districts so far affected and assessed are Kasese, Kabarole, Kabale, Rubanda, Rukiga, Mbarara, Mbale, Bundibugyo, Adjumani and Kibale,” reads part of the report that URCS spokesperson Irene Nakasiita shared with Daily Monitor yesterday.

In Kampala, bureaucrats, including those in the Disaster Preparedness ministry, appeared caught off-guard to respond.

A couple of days ago, government issued a statement, cautioning travellers not to risk crossing submerged roads and wait for at least 15 minutes to let flash floods peter out.

The State Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Mr Musa Ecweru, said they have compiled particulars of “many victims”, among them, owners of damaged crop fields, livestock and houses.

“What we need to do is everyone to do his part; do not settle in wetlands. People have built in wetlands and these are natural water [pathways]...water will always find its way and that is why we are experiencing flooding across the country,” Mr Ecweru said.

Uganda National Meteorological Authority earlier warned of heavy rains from March to May, which it noted was likely to cause mudslides and vast infrastructure damage as it has happened.

It is not only the government blaming the floods on invasion of ecologically fragile places. The abuse last Sunday caught the attention of Kigezi Diocese Bishop George Bagamuhunda, who while confirming 95 youth at St Mark Runoni in Rukiga District, told residents to stop environmental degradation so as to avert human-induced disasters.

In Kampala, ministry of Works spokesperson Susan Kataike said they had sent out engineers across the country to assess the extent of road infrastructure ruin, adding that the teams have one month to submit a report that will inform subsequent decisions.

“Where funds can be got, we are going to expedite the works...it is now a crisis,” Ms Kataike said, indicating that cost overruns of contracted works will necessitate supplementary budget.

Asked whether the meteorological department did not alert other government arms, including Works ministry, about its forecast of abundant rains to inform a contingency plan, Ms Kataike referred the question to the weathermen.

She said the ministry has culverts to give out to stricken districts. It is help too little, too late, according to various interviewees, considering the scale and immediacy required to fix broken infrastructure.

Tororo

In Tororo, at least four major bridges connecting to neighbouring districts have been swept away in the past week.

Mr Andrew Asaya, the district superintendent of Works, said: “We are facing a big problem due to floods.” Mr Joseph Njoroge, a resident, said transportation of their produce to the market has become difficult and costly. “We cannot access market whenever it rains. It has terribly affected us; traders,” he said.

Motorists were last Sunday left stranded after floods cut off Malaba-Kampala highway at Agro Bridge, some four kilometres from the border, holding up delivery of imports and exports.

Butaleja

In Butaleja District, at least 1,500 people have been displaced by floods, according to local officials. Some residents and traders remained stranded after main roads, including the Nabumali-Kachonga-Butaleja-Busolwe-Namutumba route flooded.

Traders are counting losses as trucks hauling perishable foodstuff are wedged in soggy stretches. Some pupils have abandoned trips to school, which are administering end-of-second term examinations, for fear of drowning.

Bududa

In the mountainous Bududa District, where a mudslide in March 2010 buried more than 300 residents in three hamlets numerous, bridges have been washed away, rendering movement difficult.

“Although we are crying of landslides, we are also facing a problem of accessibility because bridges have been swept away,” Mr Isaac Mutobokho, a resident, said.

Karamoja

Kangole overpass over Omaniman River, which colonialists constructed in 1954, for the second time became impassable last week, cutting off the sub-region. Commuters from Napak to Soroti now have to pay Shs20,000 extra for a winding journey that is 225km longer.

“It is very disturbing some of our staff who sleep in Kongole centre cannot access their district offices in time because of long travelling route to Napak District headquarters,” Mr Joseph Lomonyang, the district chairperson, said.

Residents have criticised a Chinese contractor upgrading the Moroto-Soroti dirt road to bitumen, for poor workmanship after culverts it installed as an alternative crossing point were washed away.

Mid-western Uganda

In Kakuniro/Kagadi, River Nguse burst its banks and floods washed away Kisaigi Bridge linking Kakumiro to Kagadi District, making movement on the route precarious.

‘‘I have been here for more than 50 years and this bridge has been a problem. Now expectant mothers are travelling longer distances to access the health centre in Kakindo and some might die on the way,’’ Ms Scola Nyamahunge, a resident, said.

Mr James Murinzi, a retail trader, was found stuck with his motorcycle he was using to deliver merchandise from Kakumiro to Kiryanga in Kagadi.

Acholi

In Lamwo, the Agoro Sub-county chairman, Mr Denis Onyon, said the harvest is likely to dip due to an estimated 200 hectares of rice fields being submerged.

He said Agoro Irrigation Scheme that the World Bank built in 1969 to support farmers in the area during dry season and improve food security is the most affected.

“We have some farmers who got loans to grow rice, but for the last two weeks, their crops have been submerged; others washed away, putting their investments at a great risk,” Mr Onyon said.

Kigezi sub-region

Mr Ivan Batuma, the chairman of Kigezi Tourism Cluster, on Tuesday said some hoteliers and tour operators were distressed due to cancellation of bookings by tourists following obstructed sections of roads to campsites.

Mr Fidelis Kanyamunyu, who owns a tourist campsite in Rubuguri Town Council in Kisoro, said it is impossible to drive on the Rubuguri-Nkuringo road that leads tourists to Nkuringo Mountain Gorilla Group and the famous Cloud Mountain Gorilla and Nkuringo Gorilla Bwindi Lodges.

The Uganda National Roads Authority station engineer for Kabale region, Mr Augustine Kabanda, said they are doing their utmost to ensure all roads remain open.

Amuria

In Amuria, east of the country, the newly-created Achinga Sub-county is almost cut off from other parts of the country.

The LC3 chairperson, Mr Joseph Okwii, said only pedestrians can cross from Achinga to Acowa. “The bridge in question is even a condemned one; it has cracks running all over it. We expect the worst as waters from Karamoja (sub-region) find its way into the region,” he said.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

Reported by Simon Emwamu, Alex Tumuhimbise, Robert Muhereza, Julius Ocungi, Paul Tajuba, Steven Ariong, Yahudu Kitunzi, Joseph Omollo & Leonard Mukooli.