How Ntoroko IDPs are recovering 4 years after L.Albert flooding

Their dreams now hinge on government promises for essential services, including access to healthcare and education, “breathing new life into a community determined to rise from the depths of despair.”

As of October 28, more than 7,000 of IDPs from over five villages in the Kanara Sub-County alone have begun to reconstruct their lives, thanks to receding Lake Albert water levels since October 2022.

Local leaders say “this has given hope to residents, who have been away from their homes to start returning to their villages.”

Nonetheless, some villages, especially those located near the lake shore, remain partially submerged but people have continued to reside in makeshift houses since 2019.

Efforts are underway to rehabilitate crucial infrastructures in the area, such as the Rwebisengo-Rwangara Road, which was everely affected by the floods. The district has also allocated resources to build two public toilets at the Katanga landing site. However, these endeavors are hindered by limited financial resources.

With Shs800million funding from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) through the disaster fund, Rwangara Health Centre III which had been submerged following floods, is now being replaced with a newly built health facility at Kyamahigi Village, Kajweka Parish in Kanara Sub-County. The facility awaits commissioning by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.

‘Shs6b for essential services’

On Friday, Ntoroko District Chairman William Kasoro told Monitor that of the six villages submerged in 2019, water has receded in at least four. As people cautiously return to their land constructing temporary shelters, district authorities are aiming to restore roadways to submerged areas despite budget constraints.

"The people in Kanara Sub-County are in recovery mode. Schools once submerged now host returning pupils. Their urgent need is school renovations," Kasoro observed.

Further, Ntoroko District is appealing to government for a Shs6billion allocation to support essential services in its recovery plan although local leaders acknowledge ongoing UNICEF help towards flood-affected schools.

Flood victims say…

Meantime, areas where people have mostly resettled include Kataga, Kachwakumu, Rwangara, Kamuga and some parts of Masaka.

Speaking to Monitor 40-year-old mother of seven Veronika Kasande explained that when Lake Albert water levels began to recede last October, her family decided to camp in Kachwakumu pending a grand return to their land to start building a new home.

"Our home in Katanga Village was washed away by floods. For three years, we rented land at Shs50,000 per month for shelter. With no income, it became unaffordable," she lamented.

Joel Alimaconi, another victim, revealed that floods partly destroyed the area where his house was previously constructed. Upon his return with his family, they “chose to renovate their existing structure.”

"Our fishing business was stopped by the Fisheries Protection Unit, and we don't have the money to continue renting land for more years in the camp. We have no option other than returning to our land, but we are not sure if floods will come back," he said.

School resumption

Rwangara Primary School head teacher Paul Asiimwe signaled that there has been a surge in school returnees since 2022.

"We were unable to sustain our studies in the makeshift tents outside the school when the water levels receded. As a result, we returned to our school, and our current enrollment has risen to 482 students, with 17 of them in Primary Seven,” he noted before further calling for what he described as “immediate funding for necessary renovations.”

At Kachwamkumu Primary School, pupil returnees have also increased but the story is largely different at Umoja School which was occupied by displaced people.

“We are still using tents given to us by UNICEF last year. Our former school buildings need renovation, and water levels have not reduced permanently. The water [floods] keep coming,” Umoja Primary School head teacher Benson Ajuna remarked.

Asked to comment on the developments in the area, Kanara Sub-County chairman Friday Mugisa decried failure of his jurisdiction to get any emergency funds from government to assist affected people.

Since then, the sub-county has been struggling to maintain roads initially washed away by floods. For instance, in the entire 2023-24 Financial Year, the sub county got only Shs5million which is consistent with the amount it has been receiving since 2019 as road funds. Consequently, just about 6 out of 21 kilometers of sub-county roads have been maintained during the period.  

Now, Mugisa has expressed concern about the deteriorating condition of the Rwangara-Rwebisengo Road and the challenges it poses for the community.

Further, Kanara Sub County Speaker Eric Tusiime highlighted persisted g challenges faced by residents in accessing the lake for fishing which remains their primary livelihood. He called for an end to restrictions on fishing and greater support for the community as they continue to recover and rebuild their lives.

“Our sub-county has now been cut off because the 32.5km Rwagara-Rwebisengo Road is halfway done at about 15 kilometers. The other parts of the road now impassable,” he observed.