KABALE AT RISK OF FLOODS AS UNRA, LEADERS PLAY BLAME GAMES

Story by Byamukama Libino
KABALE

Residents of Igabiro cell, Mwanjari ward southern Division Kabale Municipality have vowed to petition the ministry of works and transport over Kabale Municipal Council and Uganda National Roads Authority channeling drainage system to their houses.

Speaking to our reporter the aggrieved residents said that before the construction of Mwanjari business center, water had its channel connecting to river kiruruma.

They said that the running water from Mwanjari business center has caused a lot of suffering and the situation becomes worse when it rains.

Some of the concerned residents, Mwesiga Ivan, Robinah Kakwangiire, and Atamba Ebenezer said that they have been extending their concerns to the two parties of Kabale Municipal and UNRA but all was in vain.

They added that UNRA told them that they were compensated yet they have never received any single coin from the two parties.

The aggrieved residents added that they were surprised to see the Engineer instructing his workers to continue channeling water culverts into their place yet he had already told him the situation they are passing through

Robinah Kakwangire added that at 50yrs, she had never had sleepless nights until the construction of the Business center.

Atamba Ebenezer, a grandchild to Lidia kururagiire said that the running water has given him sleepless nights trying to protect his grandmother and their house.

He added that a lot of money has been wasted on renovation of their house caused by this running water.

“We are neither terrorists nor fighting the government to be the reason why they directly channeled water into our homes,” aggrieved residents added.

The chairperson lc1 of Igabiro cell Mr. Athenazious Mugasi and chairman lc2 mwanjari Ward Rurekyera Andrew said that they addressed their grievances to the UNRA who complied but they were shocked on listening the mayor on a phone call with the UNRA Manager telling him not to address the aggrieved residents but rather concentrate on his work.

They added that the UNRA never compensated anybody in their villages and those that UNRA claims to have compensated are from other cells.

They accused mayor Sentaro for politicizing the situation saying that even though they opposed him in last elections, He should know that they are also Ugandans and need equal services.

They vowed to petition the ministry of works and transport if their grievances are not addressed.

Speaking to our reporter on a phone call, the kabale Municipality mayor directed the aggrieved residents to go and sort their issues with in UNRA

The UNRA Manager Flex Tumukunde pinned the mayor to be behind the channeled drainage system.

Tumukunde that the aggrieved residents where compensated with the help of the Municipal Authorities and that he is trying to look for the documents where they were compensated from.

Tumukunde added that he has been draining the mayor was trying to contact them so that they can remove their buildings

He further said that constructing the trenches up to the River down was so expensive.

The Kabale District Residents Commissioner Mr Godfrey Nyakahuma pledged to write to UNRA Engineer, Mayor, Town clerk and chairperson lc3 Mwanjari division so that they can see how to address their grievances

Nyakahuma added that all the buildings behind the Karambuzi complex buildings get flooded when it rains and the people are in a very bad state.

When asked about the delays in addressing the issue, Nyakahuma said that he had traveled to Kyankwanzi in RDC’s Orientation meetings but their issue is on his first program.