The latest of the fire outbreaks occurred on February 10, leaving over 100 traders counting losses. Throughout 2020, heavy and persistent torrential rains submerged the better part of the Town Council, displaced over 650 families and destroyed several settlements including businesses. The impact was grave on human lives and livestock.
Residents of Elegu Town Council in Amuru
District have tasked leaders to properly plan for infrastructure at the Uganda – South Sudan border to avert floods and fire incidents.
Established in early 2012 after South
Sudan’s breakaway from Sudan in 2011, Elegu has evolved to be one of the
busiest and high volume border points of entry in Uganda, with a population of
over 15,000 people. Over the years, the population has suffered
from unprecedented flash floods and destructive seasonal fires due to
congestion compounded by improper infrastructural development.
The latest of
the fire outbreaks occurred on February 10, leaving over 100 traders
counting losses. Throughout 2020, heavy and persistent torrential
rains submerged the better part of the Town Council, displaced over 650 families
and destroyed several settlements including businesses. The impact was grave on
human lives and livestock.
David Otto, a member of the business community
explains that the latest inferno destroyed his timber store worth over 38
million Shillings. He attributed this to congestion in the area where residential houses and
business makeshift structures are indistinctive.
Jennifer Kyomuhendo, a food vendor in the area
says unplanned settlement patterns such as lack of access roads in Elegu has attracted calamities such as floods and destructive inferno caused by uncontrolled congestion. She explains that the congestion has caused several
accidents for her colleagues.
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Ivan Kakaire, an official with Uganda Revenue
Authority attached to the customs department at the border says the annual
unimaginable calamities experienced at the cross border is regrettable and
needs an everlasting solution.
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Geoffrey Oceng Osborn, the Resident District
Commissioner explains that the unplanned settlement at Elegu has compelled the
district leadership to commence consultations to devise an appropriate plan for
the border town.
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In 2018, Amuru District
Local Government signed memos worth 1.8 billion Shillings with the Ministry of Trade facilitated by TradeMark East Africa to enlarge the banks of River Unyama and expand
the drainage system as part of a structural plan for Elegu Township. However, the process has since stalled following the
outbreak of Coronavirus Disease and the persistent floods that rendered
the border town inaccessible to a technical team that was dispatched to the
area to undertake a feasibility study.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and later Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
