500 displaced as Lake Victoria submerges Kisitu island

More than 500 residents of Kisitu island in Mukono district have taken refuge in Kisitu forest reserve after their homes were submerged by flooding from Lake Victoria on Tuesday. 

 

The affected families have now erected temporary shelters in the forest reserve. Annet Namawejje, one of the affected residents, says they had stocked sufficient food supplies including maize flour and beans to take them through the current coronavirus lockdown but the food has been spoiled and contaminated. 

 

She explains that they are currently stranded without means to access the mainland for support. Matiya Mbaziira, another resident appeals to government to provide them with relief support and tarpaulins to shelter their children and expectant mothers.

 

He notes that the island lacks a health facility or drug shop, which forces the entire population to depend on herbal medicine. Mbaziira says the entire island is submerged and wants the government to allow them to occupy part of the forest.          

Hudson Kiyaga, the  Ntenjeru sub-county LC III chairperson wants the government to evacuate the entire population to another area given its topographic nature. He says the topography of the island doesn’t favour the further establishment of infrastructure for the residents.

Mukono district chairperson, Andrew Ssenyonga, says the Office of the Prime Minister and Disaster Preparedness and Refugees ministry have already been notified to support the affected people. 

 

“We are also concerned about congestion. We have learnt that people now sleep in groups, which we don’t want at this time. We are thinking about them,” he said.