Fear grips as crocodiles invade homes in Buliisa

Buliisa: Residents of Butiaba Sub County in Buliisa district fear they will soon have to vacate their homes following constant attacks by aquatic animals from Lake Albert.

The aquatic animals that have continuously attacked residents include crocodiles, hippopotamus, and snakes, among others. In the last three years, at least five people have been mauled by crocodiles in the same subcounty.

According to residents, floods have left almost all properties submerged by water, resulting in a surge of aquatic animals loitering into people’s homes and school compounds.

Kugonza Magambo Wilfred, the head teacher of Butiaba primary school, told this publication on Thursday that even though the term officially opened, they are operating in a risky place due to an increased number of hippopotamus and crocodiles invading school compounds.

‘’Though the term officially opened for the third academic term, we are operating in a risky place due to an increased number of hippopotamus and crocodiles invading school compounds,’’ he stresses.

Magambo further stresses that the floods have also affected the education department, noting that, out of 854 learners, so far 299 have reported back, saying it has destabilized parents and children.

‘’Our enrolment has dropped; one first day, we registered about 150 learners, and on Tuesday, we registered 299 out of 854 learners. I believe the issue of floods has greatly affected us because some families were submerged and others shifted, whereas some roads leading to the school were submerged,’’ he adds.

Sabino Ringtho, a parent and a resident of Kigangaizi village in Butiaba town council, says they have been left homeless, saying they are stranded with no survival.

‘’We have been left homeless due to floods, and we have nothing to eat. We are appealing for government support because we are stranded with no survival.’’

Asaba Musa Awera, the mayor of Butiaba town council, asks the locals to be vigilant with the aquatic animals and thus asked for government intervention.

‘’People are now sleeping with snakes and frogs in their houses, and this has prompted crocodiles and hippopotamus to invade people’s homes in such for food, and this is as a result of flooding water.’’

‘’We are appealing for government intervention; if the victims of Bududa were supported by the government, why not us? Are they planning to help us when we are dead?” he questions.

In 2020, over 3,500 people were displaced by floods in the area due to rising water levels in Lake Albert. The government promised support and plans to resettle the affected residents, but since then, nothing has been done.

Fred Lukumu, the Bullisa LCV Chairperson, wonders why the government has up until now kept a deaf ear despite several pleas from area leaders to have the flood victims resettled.

He told this news portal that, as a result, most of the flood victims have resorted to re-occupying the dilapidated structures following the reduction in water levels in Lake Albert, which he says is dangerous to people’s lives, stating that the victims are risking their lives by re-occupying the weak and dilapidated structures.

In 2021, Robinah Nabbanja, the Prime Minister, assured the flood victims that the government would resettle them. She then explained that the government was profiling all flood-affected people in the Bunyoro subregion and drafting a comprehensive plan for their resettlement.

Nabbanja tasked leaders in the region to work closely with her office to ensure that the resettlement plan is worked on. She then did not specify when and where OPM would resettle the flood victims.

In 2022, Hillary Onek, the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, said that the government was yet to acquire land to resettle some of the flood victims in Buliisa.

According to Onek, the government had instructed the ministries for lands, water, and environment to first carry out a comprehensive survey of the affected areas to ascertain the degree of the destruction and come up with appropriate measures on how the victims could be amicably resettled.

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