RESEARCHERS BLAME GOVERNMENT FOR FAILING TO FIGHT DISASTERS

By Kevin Tuheirwe.

www.mknewslink.com

In Kampala

Researchers and Disaster management specialists are blaming government through the Ministry of Disaster preparedness, for failure to set up measures to fight against disasters, before they happen which has led to an increase of losing several Ugandans.

This was raised on Thursday during the public policy dialogue on management of disaster in Uganda that was held at Uganda Management Institute (UMI) conference hall in Nakawa-Kampala, organized by UMI in partnership with the cabinet Secretariat sponsored by African Leadership Institute, (AFLI).

The dialogue was attended by journalists from different media houses nationwide, Researchers, Disaster management specialists, officials from the ministry of disaster preparedness and other academicians.

Researchers who include; Dr Ndebesa Mwambutsya a lecturer at Makerere University, Prof Tobias Onweng Angura, Odak Asuman and Disaster management specialists like Dr Sylvester Kugonza among others say that, government through ministry of disaster Preparedness has only responded whenever there is a disaster using an example of the recent disaster of Bududa that left many dead others displaced and also the recent drowning of people at lake Victoria, but nothing has been done to protect such disasters before they happen.

They said that there should be massive community sensitization to locals about preventive measures and responses to the disasters,and a Vail research funds to undertake risk mapping and also start sponsoring disaster management dramas in schools and hold talk shows and skits on radios.

In his response during the dialogue, the State Minister of Disaster preparedness Hon Musa Francis Ecweru blamed the Ministry of Finance, for not financing the ministry of disaster preparedness whenever there are no disasters.

He however said that they are going to pin the finance ministry to allocate adequately to help in funding the disaster and management programs in Country.

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