news 16 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Apac Residents Plead for Aid Amid Recurring Climate Disasters
Communities in Apac district's Ibuje, Akokoro, and Apoi sub-counties are facing repeated floods, winds, and hailstorms that have displaced hundreds, destroyed homes and crops, and disrupted schooling since 2018. Locals and leaders urge the government for urgent rebuilding support as recent March 2026 storms worsen the crisis. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/apac-victims-of-climate-disasters-cry-out-for-help-5426472
Residents along Lake Kwania and River Nile in Apac district are desperate for assistance after years of climate-related calamities. A total of 129 households in Aganga Parish, Ibuje, and Akokoro sub-counties have been hit hard by floods, hailstorms, strong winds, and heavy rains.
Disasters began escalating in 2018 with rising waters displacing 230 families. In 2023, fierce winds killed one person and left 19 households homeless, while another storm ruined crops and structures. Floods returned in October 2024, flooding homes and Igoti Primary School.
The latest blow came on March 24, 2026, when powerful winds demolished roofs, including at Igoti Primary School, which shut for four days. Students now learn under trees and temporary shelters after losing all teaching materials. A 2-year-old girl, Mercy Akello, died when her home collapsed.
Roads are submerged, cutting off access to healthcare. Locals navigate by canoe for Shs1,000 per trip or rent land for farming as their own plots remain waterlogged. Immaculate Aceng lost her home, food, and documents, injuring her grandmother. Joel Aweri has been renting land since 2018 floods.
Local leaders like Tom Okello and Alex Ogota demand government aid: 20 iron sheets, 20 bags of cement, and Shs1 million per household. Igoti headteacher Oscar Okello highlights repeated school damage. Community officer Robson Bob Orech stresses the need for immediate action.
Uganda Red Cross’s Sam Mugisha faults leaders for ignoring submitted reports due to funding shortages. MP Betty Awor Engola says she raised the issue in Parliament and with the Prime Minister’s office, promising follow-up.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)