A man in Kyobe Village, Bweramule Sub-county, Ntoroko District, showed remarkable resilience by rescuing his household properties using a canoe boat after River Semuliki burst its banks, cutting off six sub-counties. Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident, as River Semuliki has been causing trouble for locals, with recent floods displacing over 9,000 people in Bweramule sub-county alone and stranding around 50,000 cattle.
The situation has prompted locals to seek solutions, with some urging the government to provide funds to environmental authorities to mitigate the flooding. In 2018, the government contracted Natural Resource Defense Initiative (NRDI) to restore and protect River Semuliki, but the project, which ended last year, seems to have left gaps that need urgent attention.
Some of the affected areas include:
- Bweramule Sub-county: Kyobe Village and surrounding areas have been severely impacted by the floods.
- Butungama Sub-county: Residents have also been affected by the bursting of River Semuliki’s banks.
- Other areas: Six sub-counties in total have been cut off by the floods, with thousands of people left stranded.
The government has proposed acquiring land from Semuliki National Park to resettle the most affected people, but the community rejected the idea, citing the land’s mountainous terrain, which would hinder their economic activities.
