It is more than three weeks since a garbage disaster befell the people living near the Kiteezi landfill, burying at least 35 people, animals, and their properties.
The disaster, which was the first to be recorded in Uganda, attracted international headlines. A total of 28 residents are missing and 261 families have been displaced.
The displaced are currently taking shelter at a Church of Uganda primary school playground.
These displaced people are fellow Ugandans who need our urgent help in areas such as feeding, toiletries, warm bedding, psychosocial care, and housing since they will not be camping at these sites forever.
For starters, kudos to entities such as NMG-Uganda, Buganda Kingdom, the faithful from Owobusobozi Bisaka, and Opposition National Unity Platform party, among others, that have extended a helping hand – in collaboration with the Uganda Red Cross – to these suffering Ugandans.
As reported by this publication this week, there is a need to extend a helping hand to these helpless people. These are people who had homes but lost them in the blink of an eye.
We call upon more Ugandans, including faith-based organisations, corporate companies, individuals, and above, all the government, to come to the aid of these Ugandans.
We need more from the government, especially the ministry for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
Some of its key roles include enhancing the country’s capacity to contain and minimise the effects of disasters, reaching out to vulnerable communities and alleviating the suffering of those in need whenever calamities such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, droughts, and famine happen. Instead, we see organisations such as the Uganda Red Cross taking the lead.
One would ask, why do we always seem to be caught unaware whenever disasters strike? What are the planners in government doing about it?
OPM recently tabled before Cabinet a request of Shs11 billion to support flood victims with emergency relief items, including food and non-food items. Why can’t we set aside money that can easily be accessed so that victims of disasters can be helped on time?
To the entities and individuals that have reached out to the Kiteezi victims, we say thank you and encourage even more to join. To the government, we say more can be done.
