RUKUNGIRI- A cross section of over 1,000 farmers from six villages in Eastern division, Rukungiri municipality is counting losses after hailstorms destroyed their crops yesterday. The affected villages are Katwe Kamwe, Kanyanga, Kafunjo, Kagugu, Kikyenkye, and Rwakatunduzi all in Rwentondo ward.
According to residents, the heavy downpour which was characterized by hail and windstorms, started at around 3pm and lasted for more than two hours destroyed plantations of banana, cassava, maize, beans, groundnuts, soybeans among other crops.
Mugisha John the Katwe Kamwe village Chairperson explained that over 110 households in his area lost their gardens stressing that they might be affected by famine in the near future. Anna Turyamuhimbisa a resident of Katwe Kamwe village an affected farmer told our reporter that she lost the whole garden of beans and Cassava, dashing all her hopes for a bumper harvest.
Byomuhangyi Abel and Kyarisima Silvia other affected farmers narrated that their crops and animals were never spared noting that they have been using bank loans to set up their plantations and they are now worried about repayment.
The Eastern division Chairperson David Tumwesigye told our reporter that about 1,000 farmers were affected in the downpour stressing that the damage was enormous appealing to the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness to intervene.
Tumwesigye however encouraged hailstorm victims to replant crops as soon as possible as the government moves to help them.
