By George Emuron
Bukedea
A section of the angry residents whose houses have been submerged by the heavy rain down pour in the parishes of Acomai, Tajar and Kamutur in Kamutur sub county in Bukedea have waged a protest wanting Dott service company limited to exit their community.
Dott Service Company limited is a company awarded by the central government to construct Acomai irrigation scheme under the ministry of agriculture, Animal industry and fisheries (MAAIF).
The project is allocated shillings 71,868,100,592 and it commenced on Oct, 1st, 2021 and it was expected to be complete within 24 months but the agreed duration has elapsed.
According to the angry residents, the project was expected to address the problem of floods in their area but instead it has worsened.
They said the created water channels by the constructor has forced the water to flood in their homes and gardens causing the majority of them to become homeless.
“We are not seeing any advantage of this project here. Instead it has worsened, now we don’t have where to stay, all our crops are damaged by water, your channels have diverted water to homes’ ‘, said one angry resident.
Mr. Sebi Asangolo said he borrowed a loan of five million shillings from the bank and he planted maize but all the maize has been swept away by water, he said there’s no other alternative he can pay back the bank loan apart from the maize he cultivated.
“How will I pay back the bank loan, all the gardens I hired and maize I planted have been swept by water, I ask for government intervention”, he said.
Mr. Jackson Ojekede, Kamutur sub county chairperson on Friday, 5th April, 2024 told this publication that over 1000 gardens were submerged.
“The situation is very bad. All the gardens have been affected and people have been forced to move to the nearby schools, people do not have where to sleep”, said Mr. Ojekede.
Ms. Mary Akol the Bukedea district chairperson says within two days, two sub counties of Kamutur and Kangole have been affected by floods.
She said the district was putting hopes on the irrigation scheme as a rescue of floods but instead it has turned negative.
“We expected that project to be done by now but we have failed to understand the cause of the delays, people are not doing well”, said Ms. Akol.
Eng.Sebugwawo Anthanasius the senior project engineer MAAIF told this publication that the project works are at 70.4 percent.
“This project work has been extended to ten month, so it will be complete by July 31st, 2024”, said Eng Sebugwawo.
Sebugwawo also added that now water has forced people to leave their homes as the project we are going to write letters to the office of the prime minister OPM for relief assistance.
“This is an emergency. Let’s inform OPM and we will source relief support for the affected persons”, added eng Sebugwawo.
