Africa-Press – Uganda. Kasese District is seeking more than Shs60 billion to rehabilitate infrastructure that was destroyed by floods between 2020 and 2021.
Floods claimed several lives, and have since left hundreds internally displaced. The fl ooding of rivers such as Lhubiriha, Mubuku, Nyamwamba, Nyamugasani, Sebwe, Rwembyo and Thaku damaged roads, bridges, schools and houses.
The Kasese District disaster management and recovery plan committee report for 2020 and 2021 is now seeking a supplementary budget of more than Shs60 billion to address the aftermath of the floods.
In the report, Shs17b is required for the rehabilitation of roads and bridges, Shs5.5b for the water sector and Shs5.4b for the education sector. Others are Shs32.5 billion for health, Shs2.9 billion for production, Shs798 million for natural resources and Shs1.3b for community-based services.
The 2020 fl oods damaged classrooms at Kisabu, Bikone, Bulembia primary schools and Royal Ranges Secondary School in Bulembia Division.
“Findings indicate significant damage to both public and private property. Loss of human life, crops, animals, and physical infrastructure both private and government which included schools, bridges, health facilities and most importantly Kilembe Hospital was registered,” the report reads.
Kasese post disaster recovery plan report shows a total of 32 classrooms, 24 pit-latrines of five stances, 3,018-seater wooden desks, 31 office chairs, six office cupboards, and12 girls’ washrooms were destroyed.
Other properties include 50 science lab seats, 10 science lab tables, 20 library tables, 80 library stools, chemicals and apparatuses, which were either washed away or buried by mud.
Floods also left some buildings of Kilembe Mines Hospital damaged and in January, the government withdrew its funding because the facility has constantly suffered the effects of floods.
A total of the 147.5-kilometre road network, 17 bridges, 68 gravity flow schemes, 34 boreholes, 98 springs, and 30 wells were destroyed. For instance, the 17km Katiri-Kibandama- Kabwarara road that was destroyed by flooding is now impassable while other sections of roads have developed deep gullies and potholes.
Bridges such as Kyanjuki and Kyanya were completely destroyed while others were clogged by logs and boulders. At least 1,120 community pit-latrines were washed away.
“The district recommended that a hydrological study into the possible causes of fl ooding in this area with a view of stemming future disasters of this nature be conducted, all flood channels and river bed of the aff ected rivers be opened up and dredged, respectively to redirect the water back to its course,” the report reads apart.
The district secretary for disaster management plan, Mr Joseph Isingoma, said since 2020, rehabilitation has been done on some of affected infrastructure, however, there has been reoccurrence of floods.
“As a district, we drafted three plans that include a recovery disaster plan, post-disaster plan that needed Shs65 billion for implementation and now we have drafted a five-year district disaster management plan which will help see how we can mitigate floods in the district,” he said.
He said the district still needs more resources as many infrastructures have never been fixed. Ms Mary Masika, a teacher at Bikone Primary School, said they lack staff quarters, adding that they walk long distances to attend to learners.
At Bulembia Primary School, Mr Joseph Kule, the school head teacher, said since the 2020 floods, they are finding it hard to teach learners from makeshift classrooms made of tents.
The deputy head teacher of Kisabu Primary School, Mr Anatosi Nyamambisi, said the learning environment is not conducive and some parents transferred their children to other schools.
Mr Nyamambisi said the learners are studying in classrooms made of iron sheets that were donated by Save the Children and Unicef. He said the school enrolment has reduced from 385 to 315 pupils.
“Sometimes these iron sheet structures produce too much heat whenever it is shining, you see learners getting uncomfortable,” he added.
PROGRESS
The district chairperson, Mr Eliphazi Muhindi Bukombi, said the district received Shs3 billion for maintenance of some roads. He added that the Ministry of Water and Environment with funding of Shs17 billion from World Bank is currently desilting a section of River Nyamwamba.
The district education department allocated Shs87 million for each of two primary schools of Bikone and Kisabu to construct two classrooms and an administrative office. In Bikone, the construction was complete and pupils are occupying classrooms, while at Kisabu Primary School, construction is at the roofing level.
“I am now relieved since the completion of this structure but I still need three more classrooms to accommodate the current enrolment of 463 learners,” Mr Shem Tabura, the school head teacher of Bikone Primary School, said.
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