95 Billion Project of Mitigating Kasese floods
commence on
river Nyamwamba
river Nyamwamba
By MORIS MUMBERE,
E-society
KASESE: A 95 Billion Project of Mitigating Kasese floods by Arab contractors has commence on river Nyamwamba to reduce on the daily suspected periods of flooding of several rivers channel in Kasese district which will take nearly six months
“ This contract was awarded to Arab Contractors
Company at a tune of shillings 95
billion (2715622$) and it’s to be finished in a period of five months” Eng. Mohamed Eldesouky the resident eng. from the government of Egypt said in an interview.
The five months project of protection works for flood mitigation in rwenzori sub region, Kasese district which is funded by the Egyptian government under the ministry of water resources and irrigation was delayed by security threats resulting from the November 2016 Kasese clashes that left hundreds of people killed at the obusinga bwa Rwenzururu palace.
The retraining works are centering on excavating and de-silting of the river channels at some identified hotspots to remove stones and other debris from the main stream of Nyamwamba river to flush floods effectively.
billion (2715622$) and it’s to be finished in a period of five months” Eng. Mohamed Eldesouky the resident eng. from the government of Egypt said in an interview.
The five months project of protection works for flood mitigation in rwenzori sub region, Kasese district which is funded by the Egyptian government under the ministry of water resources and irrigation was delayed by security threats resulting from the November 2016 Kasese clashes that left hundreds of people killed at the obusinga bwa Rwenzururu palace.
The retraining works are centering on excavating and de-silting of the river channels at some identified hotspots to remove stones and other debris from the main stream of Nyamwamba river to flush floods effectively.
According to Eng. Mohamed Eldesouky the residents engineer for Arab contractors, said they want to de-silt the upper stream of river Nyamwamba as a mitigation measure to avoid accumulation of debris that may limit the river channel capacity during floods.
Eng. Mohamed said that, after cleaning the river channel, they will put gabions on the river banks to protect the most vulnerable sections along Nyamwamba River where flow
velocities are extremely high.
“Our mitigation interventions will be carried out on three most severely affected areas along river Nyamwamba that is to say, road barrier primary school, Kilembe mines hospital, Bulembia primary school, later on katiri school and the church shall be added” Eng. Mohamed added.
He noted that the main problem has been the blockage of some cross sections of river Nyamwamba which couldn’t accommodate the proper flow of the river adding that they are now digging it ten meters deep to give the river enough space for water flow.
“We started our role almost one and half week ago at the site of Bulembia primary with about four excavators working on removing of stones from the water mainstream channel then thereafter we shall descend to Kyanzuki Bridge up to Kilembe hospital”, Eng. Mohamed further added.
The retraining process was welcomed by the Kasese municipality parliamentary legislator Hon. Robert centenary who praised the Egyptian government for the funding geared towards saving lives and properties of Kasese residents.
“Am very glad that the project of rechanneling river Nyamwamba has finally commenced and this is a very big step by government in saving lives of communities around river Nyamwamba especially Kilembe mines hospital, Bulembia, Katiri and road barrier primary schools”, Centenary told daily monitor in an interview.
Flooding has happened twice leading to the closure of Kilembe mines hospital that was in May 2013 and May 2014 following destructive floods that ravaged the entire hospital buildings and causing displacement of patients.
The floods were triggered by a heavy downpour that caused River Nyamwamba to burst its banks.
What residents say
According to Rev. Sister Theopista Basemera the Kilembe mines hospital senior administrator, the current construction works on river Nyamwamba is a big relief to the hospital looking at the turbulent situation the hospital went through during the previous floods.
Sr. Theopista narrated that, they have been living
in fear of fresh floods invading the hospital any time because of the current rainy
season experienced in the district.
“For the last three years from 2013 to 2015 we have been experiencing floods whereby sixty four houses at the hospital were washed away by floods, we are now very happy that construction works have began and now we are assure that looking at the work being done, floods will not affect our hospital anymore,” Sr. Theopista said.
“For the last three years from 2013 to 2015 we have been experiencing floods whereby sixty four houses at the hospital were washed away by floods, we are now very happy that construction works have began and now we are assure that looking at the work being done, floods will not affect our hospital anymore,” Sr. Theopista said.
Utilities:
At least during every rainy season for the last four
years, River Nyamwamba which is situated on the slopes of Rwenzori Mountain
bursts its banks, leaving behind a soar of destruction of lives where over nine
people were reported dead and properties worth millions of money destroyed.
The river channel is now being constructed with protective bearers against destruction of schools such as Bulembia and road barrier primary schools which have for the last four consecutive floods suffered a tale of destruction including Kilembe mines Hospital which
nearly closed during the 2014 Kasese floods.
The river channel is now being constructed with protective bearers against destruction of schools such as Bulembia and road barrier primary schools which have for the last four consecutive floods suffered a tale of destruction including Kilembe mines Hospital which
nearly closed during the 2014 Kasese floods.
End.
