By Babra Anyait
Bwaise, a Kampala suburb has been identified as the most vulnerable urban settlement affected by disasters.
The revelation was made by Michael Ayebazibwe, the Executive Director Actogether Uganda, and an NGO implementing the newly launched Daraja East Africa Scale-up programme, a project aimed at improving Weather and Climate Information Services (WCIS) such as warnings of extreme weather for urban users with particular focus on vulnerable communities based in informal settlements.
Launched by Resurgence United Kingdom, the project will help empower Bwaise dwellers to take action in advance of early warning such as repairing their homes, cleaning household and community drainage systems, among others.
According to the Manager Networks at Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), Julius Kiprop the project will work with UNMA in seeking the relevant timely information to achieve proper successful implementation of the project.
Kiprop also emphasised that there is need to involve media in the early warning system.
Meanwhile, the manager Gender Youth and Children at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Eunice Tumusebaze lauded the Daraja initiative and promised support from KCCA since its part of the body’s smart city agenda.
