By Emmanuel Okol
Katakwi, Uganda: More than 8,000 residents of Katakwi District, the home district of Vice President Jessica Alupo, have been left homeless after heavy rains triggered devastating floods that destroyed homes, submerged roads, and wiped out crop gardens across several sub-counties.
According to a report from the Katakwi District Disaster Management Committee, the flooding has paralyzed transport and livelihoods in at least nine sub-counties, leaving thousands stranded and in urgent need of food, shelter, and medical support.
District LCV Chairperson Geoffrey Omolo confirmed that the floods have damaged an estimated 70 kilometres of road network, cutting off communities from essential services such as health centers, schools, and markets.
“The district is facing a severe flood crisis. Major roads are impassable, and over 8,000 people have been displaced across Ongongoja, Usuk, Palam, Okore, Ngariam, Mangoro, Toroma, Amusia, and Gunyanguy sub-counties,” Omolo said.
He warned that the situation could soon spiral into a food and health crisis if the government does not intervene urgently. “We are compiling reports on people, animals, and property lost to the floods to submit to the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and the Office of the Prime Minister for possible rescue and relief,” Omolo added.
The floods have destroyed hundreds of homes and vast crop fields, washing away cassava, millet, simsim, sweet potatoes, and maize, the district’s staple food sources.
Stephen Okello, a resident of Ngariam Sub-county, said the disaster has left families sleeping in open places and struggling to find food. “Floods have destroyed all our gardens, cassava, millet, simsim, everything. Many people are now looking for where to sleep after their houses collapsed,” Okello said.
Hon. Jane Christine Adeke Akore, the area councillor, appealed to the government to send immediate humanitarian aid, saying many affected families are sheltering in churches, schools, and trading centers.
“People are in tears. We are calling for government intervention and urging residents to move to higher grounds for safety,” she said.
Local Leaders Call for Relief Support
Ngariam Sub-county LCIII Chairperson, Moses Iteit, described the situation as catastrophic, warning that the combination of floods and famine has left communities desperate. “The entire sub-county is going through a hard situation. Most residents are sleeping hungry due to the destruction of crops and houses,” Iteit said.
“We need government and NGOs to donate food, tents, and domestic goods to rescue the affected families.”
He added that most access roads have been washed away, crippling social services and isolating remote villages. “Health centers, schools, and markets are inaccessible. The situation is critical, and we fear an outbreak of waterborne diseases,” he warned.
Local authorities have appealed to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees to dispatch emergency relief supplies to Katakwi before the crisis deepens.
Humanitarian agencies have also been asked to intervene, as fears grow of a possible cholera and malaria outbreak due to stagnant water and poor sanitation.
Meanwhile, district engineers have been tasked with assessing damaged infrastructure to inform the government’s disaster response plan.
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