Summary:
- Following recent landslides, mudslides, and floods that hit the district a few days ago, resulting in at least 13 deaths and significant property loss in Kyondo, Kyarumba, Kyarumba Town Council, Bugoye, Buhuhira, and Bwesumbu sub-counties, many victims have no option but to stay in these camps.
KASESE: Flood victims living in temporarily established Internally Displaced Units (IDUs) in Kyarumba Sub-County and Kyarumba Town Council, Bukonzo County East, Kasese district, are worried about the outbreak of communicable and non-communicable diseases spreading in their camps.
Following recent landslides, mudslides, and floods that hit the district a few days ago, resulting in at least 13 deaths and significant property loss in Kyondo, Kyarumba, Kyarumba Town Council, Bugoye, Buhuhira, and Bwesumbu sub-counties, many victims have no option but to stay in these camps.
Kyarumba Sub-county alone has six temporary IDUs: Kalonge I Primary School, Buhanga Church, Kaghema C.O.U, Kabingo C.O.U, Kiduku Roman Catholic Church, and St. Michael Mughanza Primary School. Kyarumba Town Council has two camps at Bwitho Primary School and Kyarumba Catholic Parish Headquarters.
Clofas Kabugho, the Chairperson for the internally displaced persons at St. Michael Mughanza Primary School, reported cases of conjunctivitis (red eyes) in her camp. She expressed concern that the infection might spread to everyone due to the sharing of domestic utensils and compact sleeping conditions.
Kabugho spoke to our reporter over the weekend while accompanied by Dr. Julius Bwambale Monday Rude, the NRM Chairperson and Bukonzo County East Parliamentary hopeful, who visited the flood victims to sympathize with them and offer condolences to the bereaved families.
Cue in Kabugo….on the matter……RR//
Joseph Kule, the Chairperson of the camp at Kabingo C.O.U, also reported cases of red eyes and appealed to the Kasese District Disaster and Preparedness Committee and the District Health Department to assess the situation urgently.
At Kalonge I Primary School, Camp Chairperson Mr. Mayani Mbusa reported malaria cases due to the lack of treated insecticide mosquito nets. Kule expressed worries about a potential cholera outbreak as the camp occupants are drinking unsafe water, and their latrines were destroyed.
Other camp occupants urged the government, through the Office of the Prime Minister, to secure safer land for them, preferably on government-gazetted lands within Kasese district and elsewhere in Uganda.
Dr. Julius Bwambale Monday Rude, who visited four camps (Kalonge I Primary School, Kabingo C.O.U, St. Michael Mughanza Primary School, and Bwitho Primary School), stated that his visit aimed to sympathize with the victims, understand the disaster’s magnitude, and coordinate with local leaders to inform relevant government ministries for relief donations.
Dr. Rude provided cash relief to the camp occupants and encouraged the general public to engage in tree planting and terrace farming on their lands.
According to statistics obtained by our reporter, Kalonge I Primary School houses 30 households with over 100 occupants, Kiduku Roman Catholic Church has 250 households with a total of 2,459 persons, Bwitho Primary School has 229 households with a total of 1,502 persons, and St. Michael Mughanza Primary School has 179 households with 529 occupants.
