Floods Submerge Homes in Kalungu District

Juliet Namakula, one of the affected residents blames the Chinese Investors of Zhong Rice Estates; currently operating in Lwera, for interfering with the Lake Victoria shorelines as they draw water for irrigating their plantations.

Mukiibi Sserunjogi, a 30 passenger boat operator from Katosi landing site to Ddamba island in Koome sub county Mukono district, says many people are stranded on the islands and lack money to return to their homes.

The sub-county Chairperson Hudson Kiyaga says that the landing site was overly congested making it hard for them to maintain social distancing recommendations. According to the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation, individuals are supposed to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from any person who is coughing or sneezing.

Gulu District Information Officer – DIO, Gloria Aloyo told URN that the individuals whose names have been concealed for fear of stigma include government officials who willingly reported themselves to the district before undertaking self-quarantine.

Ibrahim Kitenda, the Ngandu local council-LCI chairperson in Nama sub county Mukono district says covid-19 preventive measures came abruptly leaving them without any option other than buying megaphones to sensitize residents about their roles in the fight against the virus.

The suspects include three South Sudan nationals who traveled from Juba to Entebbe and disregarded self-quarantine directives. They sneaked into Kampala and later proceeded to Gulu enroute to South Sudan.

Recently, Kwania District authorities invited the commanders of the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit to discuss mechanism of conducting the registration exercise. The move which was aimed at regulating illegal fishing activities and conserving Uganda’s water bodies has reportedly been objected by the Fishery Protection Unit.