Ntoroko flood victims call for resettlement

Ntoroko, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   More than 7,000 people displaced by floods resulting from the rising Lake Albert water levels in Ntoroko district want the government to resettle them to safer places.

Flooding in the district is a perennial problem. However, it escalated at the start of this year when the lake burst its banks spilling water over 10 kilometres into communities. The most affected areas are Kanara Sub-county and Kanara Town Council, where floodwaters submerged houses, schools, and churches, among others.  

Some of the affected persons are currently sleeping out in the cold, at relative homes or in some of the public buildings that are not swallowed up by the water. The victims now want the government to secure land for their resettlement urging that the floods could affect their livelihoods for many years.  

Madina Kabagenyi was found checking through the rubbles of her destroyed kitchen with the hope to find any useful property. The mother of three told URN that she is forced to send her young children to her sister in Rwenyange village for shelter during the night, while, she and the husband brave the cold at Ntoroko Primary School with the hope that government will resettle them.  

“What we need is resettlement, the challenges are many but if we get settlement we can rebuild ourselves again, we have nowhere to start from all over again without help,” Kabagenyi narrated.

Fedress Nkabasakira, 69, a grandmother of seven narrates that she struggled to raise a house that could accommodate her and the grandchildren but when the floods came, her house was among the first to be washed away before thieves took each property she had managed to save. Nkabasakira wants the government to resettle her in a safer location to start a new life.

Patrick Mawenu a local in Butungama told URN that his two acres of land and house for rent were submerged in May.  However, Mawenu wants the government to resettle them within the district because their livelihood depends entirely on fishing from Lake Albert.

Abbas Kule, who works with the Uganda Wildlife Authority as a canteen attendant in Kigungu cell says their business is nearly collapsing as water submerged part of their structures. Hundreds of people who would turn up for a weekend hang out are no more. 

Wiliam Aziz, the Ntoroko Primary camp leader has do deal with questions of where over 50 displaced persons will be settled when schools resume on Thursday. The camp here has three mothers who gave birth last week and over eight patients without any form of medical aid. 

Like many, Aziz says the government needs to acquire land for the victim’s so that they can be able to access social services.  “This school is going to reopen, so we are not sure how we shall put up structures to accommodate ourselves, unfortunately, the government has not yet thought of giving us land to resettle,” Aziz notes.

Ricard Mulinawe, the LCI Chairman of Ntoroko North A cell says over 200 people were displaced in his area. Without resettling the victims, Mulinawe is worried that a wave of disease outbreaks and poverty looms around the area.  

Richard Badaki, a staff at Ntoroko Health Centre III says the present condition is a huge threat to the population. He told URN that malaria and respiratory diseases have increased due to stagnant water and overcrowding, yet he also anticipates an outbreak of diseases such as cholera due to poor sanitation. 

Jessie Katusime, the in-charge of Rwangara Health Centre III says the facility is also stranded with limited staff as some of them are unable to make it for work.  She says the hospital services might need relocation as waters continue to increase. 

Ben Muthahinga, the interim district chairperson says businesses in the sub-county have been paralysed since May. He is worried that communities will struggle to live until government resettles them to a much safer place.

“Our need now is survival, the place of our need where people can be assured of safety and livelihood,” the chairman says. Robert Kwesiga the secretary-general Uganda red cross society says the problem of floods cannot be solved by just giving the victims relief. He suggests for a plan that would see a safer settlement of the victims. 

State Minister for Disaster Preparedness Musa Ecweru described the floods in the district as the worst in the whole country.

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URN