A total of 1,635 gardens of crops have been destroyed by water logging in Kamutur Sub County in Bukedea District.
The destroyed gardens consist of crops such as cassava, maize, millet, sorghum and groundnuts.
In the parish of Kamutur, 150 gardens were destroyed, 50 gardens in the parish of Akakaat, 400 gardens in Tajar, 600 gardens in Acomai and 435 gardens in Kocus parish.
Mr. James Peter Okwi, the LC1 chairperson of Malaba village, one of the villages in Kocus parish while speaking to this reporter on Thursday, 6th June, 2024 said the floods displaced a total of fifteen households from their homes to the nearby trading center.
“People are starving at the trading center where they are renting, the water destroyed all their crops including houses and pit latrines,” said Mr. Okwi.
Mr. Okwi added that about 71 pit latrines were washed away by floods and as a result, the residents are forced to defecate in open places such as bushes.
“In my area there’s nothing like a pit latrine, people are now defecating in the bushes,” Okwi said.
On 4th, June 2024, this publication also discovered that 244 households and 200 pit latrines were destroyed in Kamutur Sub County.
Mr. David Obwatan, one of the victims affected by the floods, told this publication that all his houses together with the property were destroyed by the floods.
“All the household property were buried inside including chicken, now I’m forced to rent at the trading center at the cost of twenty thousand shillings every month and I am not able to afford, no food, all the gardens of cassava, maize, millet and groundnuts were destroyed”, said Mr. Obwatan.
Sarah Akello, another farmer said she invested her parish model development one million shillings in hiring a garden for planting maize but all has been washed by floods.
“I am not assure where to get the money for repaying the PDM loan, all my gardens of maize were swept by floods”, said Ms. Akello.
Mr. Obwatum added that access to food is one of the biggest challenges he is experiencing as a family head.
“We are ten members in the family and now access to food is our major challenge, the water has reduced but even then, I cannot manage to rectify the houses,” said Mr. Obwatum.
Some of the displaced residents residing in the nearby church were found scattered in other people’s gardens seeking for survival.
Mr. Jackson Ojekede, Kamutur LCIII chairperson said the sub county has no budget for handling such emergencies.
“We submitted the report to the district for help but in our sub county we do not have a budget, I am appealing to well-wishers to come and support us. My people are not doing well”, said Mr. Ojekede.
Ms. Mary Akol, the Bukedea District LCV chairperson says the district compiled a report of the affected families and was submitted to the office of the Prime Minister.
“Red Cross society intervened and some victims received some support however, majority missed”, said Ms. Akol.
Jude Ongota, the District Agricultural Officer Bukedea advised farmers who are in flood prone areas to adopt a water harvesting system which will help them during dry season.
He said the only crop to be cultivated in water logged areas is rice.
“I want to advise Kamutur farmers to adopt the system of harvesting water during rain and learn how to construct water diversion channels that will help us to divert water out of the crops”, said Mr. Ongota.
Mr. David Oluka, the Bukedea District Senior Environmental Officer told this publication that the main cause of the floods are man-made activities.
He said Kamutur being the lower belt of Mt. Elgon acts as the water basin, therefore any rains or water that falls from Mt. Elgon is collected in Kamutur Sub County.
“The people of Bulambuli are still cultivating on the wetlands and River Sironko is distilled yet it’s one to contain the water from Mt. Elgon, in order to avoid floods or prevent floods from affecting the people of Kamutur, man-made activities should be stopped”, said Mr. Oluka.
Mr. William Wilberforce Tukei, the Bukedea Resident District Commissioner said the district is doing its best to ensure that wetland encroachers are evicted.
He said the Presidential directive stated that no person should cultivate on a wetland.
“My office is going to send a letter to Bulambuli district so that we come as one to see that rice growing in the wetland bordering Bukedea and Bulambuli will come to an end”, said Mr. Tukei.