WILFRED WESONGA is the LC-3 Chairman of Bakalasi Sub-county in Bududa District. He spoke to STEVEN FREDRICK MAGOMU about the killer mudslides in Namasheti Parish.
What is the situation like now in your area?
It is very bad. I can’t imagine the whole parish is gone; but as a leader I had to stand strong and look towards saving some lives.
How do you describe Namesti?
Nametsi is a name derived from a river flowing from the mountains. In fact, Namesti was a valley separated by this stream that flows from the mountain down to the lowlands, with a very beautiful scenery and endowed with fertile soils. What makes people stay in such a place?
As I told you, Namesti is endowed with fertile soils. People here are farmers and their livelihood is derived from farming. That’s how people found themselves attached to the place.
Uganda Wild Life Authority (UWA) has appealed to people to vacate the place because it’s dangerous and your people refused to move.
That is right, but what you should know is that this is ancestral land. Our ancestors lived in the same place, people were born here, it was unfortunate that such a disaster happened. UWA has been talking about the dangers of living in such a place, but the government has never come up with any alternative place to relocate the people. So you can’t expect people to wake up and say they are going away; to where? As a matter of fact, people are willing to be relocated if the land is availed. What was the population of Namesti?
Namesti is a trading centre for the whole of Namasheti Parish, which is highly populated with over 800 people. But by the time disaster struck, we estimate that about 500 people had converged at Namesti trading centre. Being the only trading centre, people from across the parish had gathered for the evening. Of all these people, we managed to rescue only six and about four who ran away when they saw the disaster unfold. What are the major challenges that you are facing now?
We have over 800 people in the camp at Bakalasi Sub-county. They don’t have shelter and we need tents and mattresses because at this time people are staying in classrooms and that could cause an outbreak of diseases. This may cause more deaths if the government does not step in faster.
What is your appeal to the world?
I what to thank the government and the other international bodies for the support they have given us, but we need more support. We don’t have drugs in the hospital at Bududa and the people who were injured need to be treated.
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Where will the people of bududa resettled ? written by Weboya Joel , March 11, 2010
I salute the president of our land HE. YK. Museveni for his genuine concern about the catastrophe the hit our beautiful and fertile land Bududa. I also thank HE. For his cordial relationship with HE Mwai Kibaki who has joined in the morning of the dead in this area. TO HE Kibaki this is where you came from and we appreciate that you have not forgotten your roots in politics He even had to fly to the scene amidst the horror and the unfriendly weather, old as he is he couldn’t avoid. Thank you so much Mzei. How I wish your MPs and Ministers were like you. Let me hope they are not celebrating in disguise because of the billions and goods coming to Bududa. Remember the people to have this kind of help .95% were buried so let the Politicians not take advantage.
My concern Your HE., is where are the people of Bududa going to be resettled? If it Bunambutye, these people have been enjoying sufficient rainfall all year round in the land endowed with fertile soils and water flowing through the year wont they just die in Bunambutye?. My advice The NAADS. Program which many officers were mismanaging especially in this village can now be channeled to Bunambutye. The valley dams be constructed for them so that they can go on with their faming all year round . Have these programs in place and probably this area may become a model area for NAADS. Other than a HE visiting a village of Bumageni for one model farmer having 5 Cows and 2 goats, praising the government for NAADS.
This will be practical for resettlement of the Bududa people otherwise it will remain as it was since 2006.
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