MBARARA – A heavy downpour in Mbarara City has washed away bridges, roads, houses, and other infrastructure, disrupting normal life there, with businesses in the city being one of the most affected by the floods.
Mbarara City mayor, Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi confirmed, “We have received numerous complaints from residents that the rains have so far blocked roads and destroyed houses in Kiyanja Cell, Katete Ward among other areas.”
According to Kakyebezi, the floods have destroyed crop gardens, washed away bridges in Katete, Karugangama, and Kanyeyite, and destroyed the main water pipeline supplying Nyamitanga and Ruti cells among villages.
According to Denis Muramuzi, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation [NWSC] manager Mbarara Area, the water pump facility has been submerged by River Rwizi, causing water shortage around Mbarara City.
“This heavy downpour has caused floods that have submerged the water supply system. We have resorted to using a water pump generator to pump the floods out as an emergency solution,” Muramuzi said.
Muramuzi said the floods could cost NWSC Shs 100 million, noting that Shs 70mln could be lost as daily revenue while Shs 30mln could be spent on ensuring that the water system runs efficiently again.
James Baguma, a resident of Kitebero Cell along River Rwizi said most of the business activities have come to a standstill due to floods.
“Since Tuesday morning most of the business activities in areas of Kiyanja, Katete are on halt as we are waiting for the lasting solution from our leaders in government,” Baguma said.
John Bosco Byaruhanga, a resident of Katete Ward said floods have swept away latrines, worrying that water-borne diseases like Cholera could emerge due to poor sanitation and hygiene.
Wilbert Abahaire a resident of Kiyanja Cell in Kamukuzi Ward said the road leading to his home was blocked by the flooding waters, a thing he has never experienced since 1990.
“I was with my wife coming from our shop in town but little did we know that the road was filled with water. We found people stranded on the way. We had to use an alternative route to reach our home,” Abahaire said.
Joseph Mwesigye, the Mbarara district environment officer said the flooding of River Rwizi is due to the destruction of wetlands that along the river 8, 200 kilometre river.
Mwesigye said other areas like Bwizibwera and Mabira dam in Kashari County have also flooded, noting people have been advised to move away from lowland areas and river banks to safe areas.
Mayor Kakyebezi blamed city tycoons who have started constructing in the wetlands, thus blocking waterways and causing flooding when it rains heavily.
“I can tell you that I have been in Mbarara for so many years but this is the second time we are experiencing such terrible floods. The latest floods have happened when the population in the city is growing. The land is scarce and people have started building in gazetted wetlands,” he said.
He warned that illegal construction in the wetlands would be stopped since it is against the law.
He added: “We cannot accept this we need an orderly city well designed with drainage channels which should not be tampered with to avoid such floods when it rains heavily.”
River Rwizi, with a catchment area of 8, 700 square kilometres is the main water source in Ankole Sub-region and serves 14 districts of Sheema, Buhweju, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Rwampara, Mbarara, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Lyantonde, Rakai and Kyotera among others before it pours its waters into Lake Victoria through Sango Bay wetland forest.
https://thecooperator.news/amuru-needs-16-bln-to-avert-floods/
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