The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party spokesperson Sharon Oyat Arach has hailed the UPDF and other relief service providers like the Uganda Red Cross Society for the rescue efforts in the Bulambuli Mudslide disaster.
Arach made the remarks while addressing members of the press at the UPC party headquarters at Uganda House in Kampala on Wednesday, December 4, 2024 where she said that the UPDF did a good job and is still doing a good job in recovering bodies buried in the rubble which is a risky exercise in itself.
“UPC commends the deployed rapid response units of the Red Cross and Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) for their efforts in a bid to arrest the situation, which the public is calling dire and frightening,” Arach said.
Arach also urged people living near such areas prone to disaster to follow government guidelines and move further away from such areas to avoid loss of lives and property when disaster strikes.
“As UPC we urge the people living near all areas prone to such natural disasters to always follow the government advice of relocating to safer areas because some of you have lost your dear ones and even if the government comes in to compensate, it can’t compensate for the lives of your dear family members and friends,” Arach added.
According to police spokesperson Kituma Rusoke, the death toll stands at 22 people and others remain unaccounted for. Rusoke also made the same alarm as that of UPC’s spokesperson reminding people who are in disaster-prone areas to move away to avoid future loss of lives.
“We urge the public to exercise caution because when the hills are giving way there are signs given. We appeal to community leaders to mobilize the communities to move away from such potentially dangerous areas,” Rusoke said.
In Bulambuli, the UPDF deployed a group of 110 officers to assist locals in retrieving the deceased from challenging hilly terrain, where the use of heavy machinery was hampered by poor conditions.
On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, a devastating mudslide swept through Kimono Village, Buluganya Sub-county in Bulambuli district. Over 20 homes were buried, leaving over 20 dead and others missing.
