Secretary General (SG) of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Justine Kasule Lumumba has attributed the recent disaster in which at least 18 people perished when a rain storm hit Buyende and Kamuli districts to the rampant cutting down of trees for charcoal burning.
Charcoal burning is a major economic activity to majority in the Eastern districts of Buyende and Kamuli.
While at the burial of some of the victims in Kidera sub county, Lumumba said on Wednesday that the authorities should jealously guard against deforestation and instead crusade for the planting of trees in the area be implemented.
“You should arrest and prosecute whoever is involved in deforestation because it is what has left Buyende in a state of drought and at risk of disaster”. she said.
Adding “RDC please make sure you don’t allow the cutting down of trees to continue because it is now a security matter. The district should introduce an ordinance that would protect all trees in this district, said Lumumba to the applause from the crowd.
The district Woman MP, Veronica Kadogo had earlier in her speech indicated that the storm only ravaged those areas where trees have been cut.
The SG also said that the NRM would top up some Shs200,000 to the Shs500,000 from government being given to the affected families for decent burial of each of the deceased.
“I am also going to champion a campaign to lobby seeds for farmers to plant in order to prevent hunger in the future since floods destroyed all what you had planted,” added Lumumba.
She pulled out Shs7 million and gave it to the district to help in free registration for Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) to all candidates in the affected villages. Part of the money would be spent on medical, or any other deemed by district authorities.
She applauded the quick response by the local leadership, councilors, LCV chairman, Robert Ziribasanga and MPs, Robert Musoke (Budiope West) and Veronica Babirye (District Woman), the security under the leadership of the RDC, Col. Richard Ogwang.
She appreciated the healthy workers who were on duty in both Buyende and Kamuli hospitals to save lives of the survivors. Lumumba said that the unity demonstrated during this difficult time should be upheld.
At least 18 lives were lost and hundreds of families left with no food stuffs, livestock and homes in Busoga North after six hours of heavy rainfall that ravaged several villages on Monday night.
In Buyende district, Kidera Sub County alone lost at least 13 lives, according to police reports while more than 200 others remain hospitalized.
Hundreds of people were left homeless and with no food and clothes.
Officials from the Office of the Prime Minister led by Ministers of State, Moses Kizige (Karamoja affairs) and Musa Echweru (disaster) spent the whole Tuesday afternoon and evening in the affected areas where they visited all the affected families. Government has based on their assessment report to send relief items to the victims.
At least 500 families have been affected according to local authorities. Rivers and streams have swelled, putting every life at risk.
