Tension and heartbreak have gripped Buliisa District as over 1,000 homesteads in Butiaba Town Council have been submerged by floods from the rising waters of Lake Albert.
Residents have sought refuge in neighboring villages, churches, and schools, uncertain of what lies ahead as the waters continue to rise.
The most affected areas include Magali, Triangle, Piida A and B, Kigangaizi, Kawalibanda, Butiaba Boma, Kekeya, Tugombili, Walukuba, Bugoigo, Kamagongoro, Kigungi, Seule, and Waisoki, all within Butiaba Town Council.
Gilbert Olar, a resident of Kigangaizi Cell, described the devastation of waking up in the middle of the night to find his home submerged.
"This water began rising in August, but we couldn’t leave because this is our only home. It was during the night that the water rushed in, filling all the bedrooms. We barely escaped with our lives," Olar recalled. "By morning, it was a disaster. If we hadn't acted quickly, lives would have been lost."
Many residents, like John Bikobo from Kekeya Landing Site, are calling for government assistance. Having taken refuge at Butiaba Market, he pleaded for relocation.
"We have a cultural attachment to this place, but we can no longer stay here. We suffered in 2021, and now it’s happening again. How much longer can we endure this? We appeal to the government to buy land where we can be relocated and live in peace," Bikobo urged.
Rogers Kusiima, a fisherman at Bugoigo Landing Site, expressed frustration over the lack of government aid.
"This is the second time, the first was in 2021, and still, the government did nothing. They just registered our names and left, delivering a few bags of posho and beans, but people lost homes and livelihoods. Now, with houses submerged again, no government official has come," Kusiima lamented.
The floods have left families in dire conditions.
Jacqueline Kyomuhendo, a mother of six, is now living under a tree with her children, all of whom are ill from malaria and contaminated water.
"All six of my children are sick. Since the floods, we’ve been sleeping under this tree that serves as a church. We have no food, no clean water. If God isn’t on my side, I might lose my children, but the government has remained silent," Kyomuhendo tearfully shared.
Musa Asaba, the LC3 Chairperson of Butiaba Town Council, said he has already petitioned the district disaster management committee for urgent intervention.
"We need immediate government support. People are sleeping in open spaces, churches, and schools, which are also at risk of flooding. I hope the district disaster committee appeals to the Office of the Prime Minister for relief, especially tents, food, and other essentials," Asaba said.
Buliisa LC5 Chairperson, Fred Lukumu, echoed these concerns. While he has alerted the Office of the Prime Minister, there has been no response yet.
"As a district, we rushed to witness the catastrophe. We’ve written to the Office of the Prime Minister, but we’ve received no feedback. We are helpless due to our limited budget," Lukumu explained.
This is not the first time Buliisa has faced devastating floods.
In 2020 and 2021, a total of 3,500 homesteads across various sub-counties were displaced by rising waters. The floods destroyed homes, livestock, businesses, and vital infrastructure, including markets, churches, schools, and health centers. Many residents remain in makeshift shelters, uncertain when relief will come.
As the waters rise again, the people of Buliisa are left in a state of grief and despair, awaiting help that may never come.