The area, known as one of the leading trading areas between Uganda and South Sudan, experiences flash floods during the rainy season, and whenever River Unyama, the Blue Nile`s tributary burst its banks. The floods have reportedly killed 10 people and destroyed tonnes of merchandise over the last five years.
Amuru District Local Government is seeking more than 160 billion Shillings to avert flooding in Elegu town, located near Uganda's port of entry at Nimule.
The area, known as one of the leading trading areas between Uganda and South Sudan, experiences flash floods during the rainy season, and whenever River
Unyama, the Blue Nile`s tributary burst its banks. The floods have reportedly
killed 10 people and destroyed tonnes of merchandise over the last five years.
Amuru District Chairperson Michael Lakony told URN that an architectural design by the engineering department indicates that they need to create a water channel and
widen the Unyama River Bank to tap the water before reaching Elegu and have it
diverted up to the Blue Nile in Nimule.
He notes that the proposal was submitted to the Office of
the Prime Minister and the Department of Disaster Preparedness over three years
ago but no action has been taken to date, yet the district is
financially incapacitated.
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Cue out…Elegu is curved.’’//
Besides this intervention, Lakony says that they now bank
their hopes on the proposed construction of irrigation schemes along the River
Unyama belt. Parliament has allocated 108 billion Shillings for the task which will be undertaken through the Uganda Development Cooperation.
Brenda Aromorach the Project Assistant of the Eastern African Sub-Regional Support
Initiative (EASSI) for Elegu/Nimule border notes that averting flooding in
the area should be treated as a matter of urgency.
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Cue out…sink so fast.’’//
In the interim, Lakony says that the district has partnered with Trademark East Africa to build 1,000 stalls through the Swedish
Embassy and raise the ground to accommodate the mothers who are
always entangled in the flooding disaster.
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Cue out…in this disaster.’’//
Meanwhile, Margaret Ayoo and Dillies Adong, traders in the
area, say that they do not have any mechanism to protect themselves from the
flash floods, noting that they would only take refuge in safe avenues such
as roads and highlands in case of flooding.
Emmy Daniel Ojara
Freelancer