Excited in the Morning but Mourning by Afternoon: Insights of the International Labour Celebrations in Kasese District

The International Labour day preparations in Kasese District was one of the top agendas for the last two weeks in April, 2013. The Theme for the events was: SKILLING UGANDANS FOR LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY: A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. And the district venue was Hime Town Council. At RWECO we participated in these events in Hima Town Council:

The RDC Kasese District, Lt. Milton Odongo joining pupils of St. Josephs Primary School in Hima during the International Labor day events on May 1

The events to mark the labor day were color despite the heavy down pour, pupils, Police, Prisions and the UDPD officers and men braved the heavy down pour during the match past.

People from Hima Town Council after celebrating the Labor day, thinking of the next actions after River Nyamwamba burst its banks and flooded: Kasese -Fort Portal Road was cut off, Police took control of the crowds till 8PM on Wednesday may 1 at Nyakasaga

Events in Kasese district after River Nyamwamba burst its banks

Kasese river turns deathtrap as heavy rains continue to pound

A government car that was washed away after its driver failed to wade through a flooded Kasese-Fort Portal highway last week. The road has been impassable since last week. PHOTO BY ABDULAZIIZI TUMUSIIME 

By Enid Ninsiima

Posted  Monday, May 6  2013 at  01:00

 Kasese

Fresh floods yesterday hit Kasese District after River Nyamwamba burst its banks again, forcing more than 300 people out of their homes.

The river, which flows from Mt. Rwenzori downstream through Kilembe Sub-county, flooded on Wednesday last week, killing six people and displacing an estimated 2,000. Authorities are now worried that the disaster may worsen if the river continues to flood, as is the case around this time of the year.

After last week’s floods, many residents vacated the area but those who opted to stay were affected.
The floods have also sealed off Kasese-Fort Portal Highway at Nyakasanga Trading Centre. “Two lorries were washed away and overturned on the flooded road,” Mr Peter Kule, a resident, said.

One of the survivors of the last week disaster, Mr Pascal Kasoke, said he had nowhere to go since they grew up in Kanyaruboga Village in Kilembe Sub-county, the epicenter of the floods. “I managed to rescue my family but I know Nyamwamba (River) cannot flood consecutively, so we are here to stay,” Mr Kasoke, the LC3 chairperson for Bulembia Division, said.

Sofia Masika, who was found at his broken house in Katiri Cell said her six children were starved: “My children are crying of hunger but I have nothing to feed them on; I have been selling palm oil but now I have no market since people have evacuated the place,” Masika, who has stayed in the area for 15 years, said.
The district chief administrative officer, Mr William Kanyesigye, said fresh flooding had forced authorities to evacuate people.

The district director of health services, Dr Peter Mukobi, warned of a likelihood of water borne diseases since the district lacks clean water. “I am assessing the situation with the World Health Organisation team and the Ministry of Health. We want to have short term outpatient services at Kilembe Hospital soon,” Mr Mukobi said, adding that Katiri Health Centre II will remain closed.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

Accessed on Tuesday 7th May, from:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Kasese-river-turns-deathtrap-as-heavy-rains-continue-to-pound/-/688334/1842934/-/sgoq3bz/-/index.html