MPs under Bunyoro parliamentary caucus have embarked on a campaign to sensitize their electorate on how to avoid lightning. The campaign was launched yesterday at St. Andrea Kaahwa’s college, where 15 students were struck by lightning last month.
Tophus Kaahwa, the secretary of Bunyoro parliamentary caucus explains that they have embarked on the sensitization as a short term measure as government finds a permanent solution to the problem. She says the campaign mainly targets schools, churches, mosques and other social places like hospitals, hotels among others.
Kaahwa says that they have found out that people in the region are ignorant on how to prevent themselves from lightning despite the fact they don’t have lightning arrestors. She says they are going to design radio spot massages clearly educating people on the dos and don’t when it is rains. Julius Bugirwa Junjura, Buhaguzi Member of parliament says that they will also come out with recommendations to government on how to address the matter in long run.
He says that they are going to move from school to school sensitizing students and administrators on how to prevent themselves against lightning but also seek their views on how government should address the matter. He says the highest number of school have no lightening arrestors in Bunyoro region and there is need to sensitize the community.
On Friday, the MPs donated a set of lightning arrestors to Runyanya primary school in Kiryandongo where over 20 pupils were struck dead by lightning leaving over 50 others hospitalized. Bigirwa says that as area Members of parliament they do not have enough funds to buy lightning arrestors for all schools in their region. Ignatius Besisira, Buyaga county Member of parliament in Kibaale says much as they are carrying out the sensitization, government should provide immediate solutions and ensure that all public places install lightning arrestors.
