SIMPSON M
A total of 4,978 families in Rukungiri District received 30,000 kilograms (30 tons) of relief food on Wednesday in response to hailstorms that ravaged the area, leaving many families without food.
During the distribution ceremony, Rukungiri District LC5 Chairperson Geoffrey Kyomukama noted that the hailstorms, which occurred in September 2024, destroyed key crops such as cassava, maize, beans, and peas, causing a severe food shortage in the sub-counties of Buhunga, Nyakagyeme, Buyanja, Nyakishenyi, and Rukungiri Municipality.
Kyomukama explained that district leaders had written to the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, requesting urgent support to aid the affected families. In response, the Prime Minister’s Office supplied 20,000 kilograms of maize flour (posho) and 10,000 kilograms of beans for distribution.
The relief items were distributed to affected households in Buyanja, Nyakagyeme, Nyakishenyi, Buhunga, and Rukungiri Municipality. Each household received 4 kilograms of posho and 2 kilograms of beans.
Kyomukama commended the government and local leadership for their swift intervention, emphasizing the importance of addressing the immediate needs of the affected families.
Beneficiaries such as Polecap Nyehangane, the chairperson of Rwobusisi B, and Jane Kandimu expressed gratitude for the food aid, noting that the hailstorm had left many struggling to find food. While the food may only last a week, they appreciated the effort and called on the government to provide additional support.
However, some residents, including 85-year-old Sulaiman Ryomusharaba from Nyakaina, Edisa Kemirembe from Rwamabaare Kitanda, and Gwomugasho Moses, expressed disappointment at being left out of the aid distribution despite being severely affected. They explained that, in addition to losing crops, their homes were destroyed, leaving them without shelter. They appealed to the government for building materials, such as iron sheets, to rebuild their homes.
At the relief distribution in Buyanja Sub-County, LC3 Chairperson Emmy Rubondo thanked the government for supporting its people and urged the beneficiaries to use the provided food wisely, acknowledging that it was what the government could afford at the moment.
Rubondo advised residents who did not receive aid to remain patient, noting that the hailstorm affected the district in phases, and the first recipients were those impacted earliest. He assured them that further distributions would consider those still in need.
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