Residents of Adyel Kasubi Cell in Lira City West Division are counting heavy losses after floods ravaged their homes

Adyel Yahweh Pentecostal Mission Headquarters

The flooding is reportedly the result of blocked drainage channels, allegedly caused by a well-known Lira-based businessman.

This drainage Channel has been in existence for over 40 years.

Residents of Adyel Kasubi believe their ordeal began when Benedict Ocen, a prominent businessman and fellow resident, constructed a perimeter wall that obstructed the water runway, resulting in flooding across more than 40 homesteads.

Pamela Oribi could not hold back her hunger saying she has lived in this village for over 20 years but she had never experienced such flooding.

“I have lived here for a long time, and whenever it rained, the water flowed through its usual channel. But because of the blockage, the water is now flooding our compound. All my houses are leaking, and one has already been destroyed, leaving me with only one remaining,” Oribi explains.

Pamela Oribi who is a widow said she is now left with no option but to rent another house for her and her grand children.

She is calling upon the Lira city Authority to help her and the entire community, explaining that if the rainny season continues she isgoing to lose everything.

Oribi is not alone, Dickens Bua, the youth leader at Adyel Yahweh Pentecostal Mission headquarters says the blockage has so much affected their church.

“Whenever it rains our church premise floods and it flows through the church. This is causing fear that our church might collapse anytime” Bua added.

He said the church leadership has made several attempts to engage Benedict Ocen, urging him to open the drainage channel, but he has completely refused to comply. adding that they also approached the Lira City Authority regarding the same matter, but they have not received any meaningful response.

The church have plans of fencing their Premise and this could be the only way of saving the church but the City Authority has stopped them from fencing.

” The city Council has permitted us to fence our church but again they altered their decision saying this will also cause more effects to the community. This is a clear sign of conivence between the City Council and the businessman” Bua added.

More than 1,500 Christians worship at the Adyel Yahweh Pentecostal Mission headquarters.

Moses Ocen Okeny, the defense secretary for Local council One of Adyel Kasubi said six houses are destroyed due to flooding with more than 40 homestead affected. Adding that many houses may still collapsed as most of the houses are leaking from their floors.

Ocen’s home is not spared as he said if the rain continues, he might consider relocating to another place. “My compound is full of water and there is no where my children can play. We are worried that our children might contract some diseases as most of the toilets around this place are flashing out due to too much water”. He said

He stressed that, as local leaders, they have made several attempts to ask the developer to clear the waterway, but he has completely ignored their requests.

Response from the Authority.

Speaking to our reporter in his office, Vincent Okurut, the Town Clerk of Lira City, said that upon receiving complaints about the incident, he dispatched a team from the Lira City Planning Department to assess the situation and propose a solution. The team returned with two options: diverting the drainage channel or engaging the developer in a meeting.

A day later, Okurut told our reporter that they had engaged Benedict Ocean over the issue, but he refused to open up the waterway, claiming that he has a land title that was authentically issued to him.

“As a city we shall sit and see what we can do for them but We might hope for the diversion of water runway to save the affected community” Okurut stressed.

However Okurut hinted that this is not the only concern they are getting, saying that there are many places within the city that are affected by flooding due to heavy rainfall.

Lira City, through the Environment Department, has begun evicting people who are conducting farming and settlement activities within the wetlands.

This initiative is aimed at restoring the wetlands and protecting the ecosystem as part of efforts to combat climate change.