Tororo flood victims urged to go home – three months later

Tororo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Floods victims in Tororo district are living under deplorable conditions.

The affected people from over 200 households were displaced by floods triggered by heavy rains that pounded Tororo district in March this year and pitched camp at Fungwe primary school where they have spent the last three month.

Mothers sleep on mats with their children while men sleep on desks in classrooms. The flood victims are also struggling to find what to eat as government has not extended to them any form of relief support.

They also lack access to clean safe drinking water and face insecurity at the school since there is no guard. Some of the flood victims told our reporter that they are currently dependent on well-wishers in the neighborhood and donations from local politicians.

Tororo Chief Administrative Officer, Dunstan Balaba, however says it is high time the victims return to their respective homes and start a new life as they wait for government intervention.

The West Budama Member of Parliament, Jacob Oboth Oboth has appealed to government to consider providing farm inputs and roofing materials to the affected people to start a new life.

The Camp Chairperson, Jowali Wabire says that they are faced with numerous challenges ranging from food shortage to lack of mosquito nets and increasing cases of rape and defilement.

He says much as they are facing the challenges, the affected persons have no intentions of going back to villages they once called home and now want government to find them an alternative space to stay as they fear that they may be displaced again.

Bena Oketcho, the Yolwe Sub county LC III Chairperson, says it is risky for the victims to get back to their homes since most of their houses have collapsed. He says there is need for the flood victims to relocate from the school premises since children may return anytime.

Oketcho says there is need for government to start thinking of resettling the flood victims in a better place.

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