Heavy Rains Leave Bricklayers in Acholi in Tears

Heavy rains have destroyed thousands of bricks in Gulu and Kitgum districts leaving dealers counting losses.

Gulu and Kitgum Districts just like other parts of the Acholi Sub Region have for the past four days been experiencing rains. 

The dealers who had already molded and staked thousands of bricks ready for burning and subsequent sales say that the rain was unexpected as initially, the early rain would start in late March.   

Hellen Acan, 56, a resident of Namokora Town Council says that the three days long rainfall have completely destroyed her 14,000 bricks which she had molded and already stacked part of them. She disclosed that she had injected 920,000 Shillings for the whole process and expected to realize 4.2 Million Shillings and use it for paying her son`s school fees for a whole year.  

//Cue in: ‘’olanya tutwal mega…   

Cue out: …oketo oo teng.’’//   

Acan who is a widow and mother of seven said that she is still in shock since had wasted all the money she had.  She is now appealing for financial assistance to take care of her needs and for the children.   

Another dealer from Kalabong Central in Namokora North, Andrew Yocana said that he was shocked to discover all his 1,000 bricks had been wasted away. 

//Cue in: ‘’wabedo ki acara…   

Cue out: …ma oo surviving.’’//   

He had expected to sell part of the bricks once burnt and also use some of them to construct a semi-permanent structure.   

Daniel Odongkara who is a student also lost 1,460 bricks last night, he had expected to burn the bricks and sell them to pay his school fees for the first and second term.

Odongkara said that based on the weather before, they least expected to receive rainfall before the months of March every year.   

David Okema, from Gulu City, is equally frustrated after injecting Shillings one million into molding his 11,000 bricks which are now being washed away by the unexpected heavy rain being experienced.  

Okema had expected to sell part of his bricks and use some to construct a semi-permanent house. 

The bricks were still spread on the ground for drying and were yet to be heaped and staked.  

//Cue in: ‘’I invested one…   

Cue out: … be shut down.’’//   

By Tuesday morning, several districts across the Acholi Sub Region were still experiencing rain.   

However, George William Omony, the Weather Forecast Manager in Gulu said that the current rain will last one week and resume in March.