Day

By Sylvia Kugonza
In Kabarole–
Farmers in Mugusu sub county, Kabarole district are shedding tears following the heavy downpour associated with hailstones that devastated their gardens.
The hailstorms affected four villages of Kisiriza, Bitamangi,Burungu and Kinyankende ,Nyabuswa parish devastating gardens of tomatoes, cabbages, beans, yams, cassava, onions, and banana plantations leaving people in fear of famine outbreak.
Vincent Tumbo the chairperson LC1 Magunga lost beans and banana plantations. He says the area is likely to experience famine because all the crops were damaged.
Tadeo Mwesige , a youth of Kinyankende village he was left speechless after all his three acres of tomatoes and a four acre banana plantation were damaged by the hailstones.Aliganyira Julius, Bonabana Sefuroza and Musabe Patrick could not hide the tears when counting the loses made in the storm saying their children will no longer go to school.
He says he had started harvesting the tomatoes and he anticipated to earn over 20million shs because a crate was being sold at shs100, 000. He is calling on government to come out and rescue them.
Kiswa Peter another resident of Kinyankende lot an acre of cabbages, cassava, beans and bananas. His wife says there are now unable to take their children to school because their earning depends on farming as an economic activity.
Following the horrible incidence, Kabarole district leaders comprising of the district chairperson; Richard Rwabuhinga, deputy chairperson Margaret Kihika accompanied by the area councilors Augustine Kisembo and Stella Kemigabo moved in the area to assess the magnitude of the disaster and compelled sub county and LC1 chairpersons to compile a list of the victims.
The district chairperson was astonished to find all the gardens and banana plantations damaged by the hailstones but called for calm as they plan to secure seeds for them.
Rwabuhinga, however, attributed the rampant disasters to the environmental degradation, saying that in the past years such calamities were rare because environment was virgin.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email: wmuhwezi75gmail.com
Tel:+256702680106.

By Sylvia Kugonza
In Kabarole–
Locals and business community in fort portal municipality are investigating circumstances under which unknown people uprooted and cut over 15,000 trees that had been planted in the town in a bid to protect environment.
They attributed the malicious act to some political leaders in the district who play cheap politics.
The trees were earlier planted by Fort Portal municipality in conjunction with National Resources Defense Initiatives (NRDI) along the river banks of River Mpanga with an aim of protecting the environment.
This was observed yesterday during the inspection by the NDRI, Mayor Rev. Willy KintuMuhanga and his committee members.
The disappointed and angry residents blamed the act on politicians who play cheap politics while fighting against development of their country.
According to Chris Amanyire; the project Coordinator NDRI, they have at least planted over 1,555 tress in Fort portal in a bid to conserve the environment.
Mayor Fort portal municipality Rev. Kintu Willy Muhanga condemned the act, stating that the trees were planted to improve on the climate change and saving river Mpanaga but to a surprise people with their own intentions uprooted them.
However, the Mayor has staked 100,000shs as a prize to be pocketed by whoever gets anyone uprooting and cutting the trees in the municipality.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email: wmuhwezi75gmail.com
Tel:+256702680106.