Schools closed as floods wreak havoc in Butaleja

Floods have swept through Butaleja District in the eastern region, killing one person and leaving several households displaced.

 The floods triggered by heavy rains that have been pounding the area for the last three days also destroyed property including crops worth millions of shillings in the Sub-counties of Himutu, Butaleja, Mazimasa and Butaleja town council on Thursday.



 When this publication visited the affected Sub-counties on Thursday, travellers were found stranded at Nakwasi bridge and Manafwa bridge respectively along Mbale-Butaleja road since it has been cut off by raging floods.

 The floods forced Nakwasi and Manafwa rivers to burst their banks and spill into the neighbouring communities hence displacing hundreds of residents.

 The deceased believed to be a resident of Bugombe Village, Himutu Sub-County whose body was recovered on Thursday was reportedly washed away by the raging floods as he tried crossing Nakwasi Bridge.

  The passengers and other road users, including school children, are now stranded and local leaders say hundreds of families have been displaced by the floods.

 Mr Tom Wandera, the Butaleja District Environment officer, confirmed that one person died due to floods.
He said they have organised temporary camps for affected residents at Namulo Primary school and Nampologoma trading centre.


 “The floods have destroyed crops, rice milling machines, rice stores and other properties. We have started an assessment to establish the damage. We request the government to intervene,” Mr Wandera said.

The floods have also affected the schools including Namulo, Bugombe, Leresi, Doho, Kanyenya and Nakwasi seed secondary school which have since been closed.

  Mr Wandera blamed the continuous floods in the district on poor cultivation and environmental degradation.
“We continue to ask people in prone areas to vacate to safer places,” Mr Wandera said.

 Mr Abdu Shema Swamadu, the head teacher of Doho Primary school, said they have temporarily closed the school due to floods.


 “We have sent back the children home because the whole compound and classrooms have water. The school gardens have also been destroyed, ”Mr Shema said, adding that latrines have also collapsed due to floods. Doho primary school has a total of 1221 pupils.

 Mr Ismail Hasahya, a resident, said floods that ravaged the area at around 11pm on Wednesday had left people stranded.

 “People are now using Budaka, Namutumba and other Tororo routes to access Mbale which is far and expensive.  Transport fares have also tripled,”Mr Hasahya said.

 The floods that have cut off the Mbale-Butaleja road have forced police to deploy at Nakwasi Bridge and Manafwa bridges to limit the movement of people along the road.

 Mr Michael Higenyi Bory, the Butaleja district chairman said they have asked people and motorists to use Bunghanji-Budaka road, Butaleja-Namutumba road and Butaleja-Tororo road to connect to Mbale town for safety reasons.  

 He attributes the mess on poor farming methods which for instance have seen  farmers slashing down all the vegetation cover in the affected areas and encroaching on the Manafwa river Banks.

 “We government should quicken the construction of a water reservoir which can help control the water force,”Mr Higenyi said.

 District officials say the flood water that continuously wreaked havoc comes mainly from Mt Elgon region before it ends up in Butaleja District due to its low altitude.