The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among has led the House in paying tribute to Yahaya Hassan, a Marine Engineer with the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) stationed at Pakwach who tragically lost his life while rescuing passengers trapped in floodwaters.
The incident occurred after the Tangi River in Pakwach District burst its banks, causing widespread flooding.
In her address to Parliament, Speaker Among expressed deep condolences to the family of the late engineer and highlighted the urgent need for government intervention in addressing the growing flood and landslide crisis affecting various parts of the country.
“The Nation is currently experiencing a lot of rainfall, which is causing a lot of disasters and flooding across the country. I am reliably informed that the taxi which was trapped amidst the floods was successfully retrieved and the passengers are safe. However, on a sad note, in the process of rescue, we lost one of the engineers of UNRA, and that was really very tragic,” said Among.
The Speaker emphasized that the flooding is not isolated to Pakwach but is affecting other regions, disrupting transport and endangering lives.
“When you go to the East, the floods are there. I am informed that Nabuyonga Road entering Mbale is off—you can’t enter. The road between Mbale and Soroti—you can’t cross. Tirinyi Road has the same problem,” she noted.
This afternoon, UNRA clarified that the traffic flow has resumed at Tangi Junction along the Olwiyo—Pakwach road following restoration efforts.
“We wish to emphasize the importance of safety; please refrain from crossing flooded areas. Exercise patience and wait for water levels to reduce for your own safety and that of others,” UNRA stated.
Among also drew attention to the devastating landslides in Bulambuli District, where over 40 households were buried, leaving families homeless and rescue teams scrambling to recover bodies.
“The landslides in Bulambuli have been reported to have buried 14 households. The process of recovering the bodies is ongoing. We really need urgent action from the Prime Minister’s Office, and these people need to be supported,” she added.
Speaker Among tasked the Office of the Prime Minister to outline the emergency measures being taken to mitigate the impact of floods and landslides, as communities across the country continue to grapple with the effects of heavy rains.
