President Museveni made a surprise visit Tuesday to the site of devastating September earthquake in the South Western Rakai District, expressing sympathy to survivors in the hardest-hit areas.
The 5.7-magnitude tremor left a trail of death and destruction, ravaging schools, home and destroyed social infrastructure in Kakuto, Kyeebe, Kifamba, Kasensero and Kibanda sub-counties close to the Uganda-Tanzania Mutukula border.
At least 4,000 residents are said to have abandoned their cracked residences in search of better shelter in banana plantations.
The Presidency announced Museveni’s visit to the quake zone shortly after his arrival.
Museveni travelled by a military chopper before being received by Special Forces’ elite units that had earlier camped in the area.
“President Museveni has arrived at Nangoma, Kakuuto County in Rakai district to assess situation of last month’s earthquake victims,” announced the president’s spokesperson, Lindah Nabusayi.
Interacting with residents, Museveni cautioned against bad fishing practices.
However, fishermen told the president that “men in armed uniform are engaged in immature fishing thus destroying the trade on Lake Victoria.”