Relief agencies operating in Uganda are blaming government for not
knowing how to handle disasters, saying it’s the reason why many lives
of innocent Ugandans perish even when they are not meant to.
They have advised government to learn from the continuing disasters to put up equipment used in handling such catastrophes.
Over 80 people died and over 200 are feared buried under mud due to a landslide that hit Namitsi village in eastern Uganda district of Bududa about 250 kms east of Kampala.
But what has irritated some Ugandans is the methods being used to retrieve the dead bodies. Army, volunteers and villagers are using bear
hands and hoes to get bodies from the mud.
Uganda Red Cross Society chairman, Tom Baruku said, “We are now calling on government to expeditiously put in place the disaster management policy that will address this problem. Government should buy enough equipment to help in such situation.”
Meanwhile compnaies in Uganda have begun donating money to victims
of the landslide disaster.
MTN company today donated 100 million Uganda shillings, equivalent to 500,000 US dollars, while Tullow oil company also donated 500,000 US dollars to help in relief provision to those affected by the landslides.
The CEO of MTN, Thembo Khumalo on handing over the assistance said,
“The company will provide more assistance to the people affected. We call upon other corporate companies to come to the rescue of these people.”
Red Cross said it needed about two billion Uganda shillings, (equivalent of 100 million US dollars) to help out the affected people.
