MPs call for urgent action as floods displace thousands in Dokolo

What the report says

Parliament’s Committee on Climate Change has urged urgent government intervention in Dokolo District after flooding displaced more than 2,000 people and damaged homes, farms and other livelihoods. According to Nile Post, the committee visited parts of Dokolo North and Dokolo South, where several villages were reported to be submerged or cut off from roads and public services.

The visit focused on lakeshore communities around the Lake Kyoga basin and near Lake Kwania, areas that local leaders say are especially vulnerable to rising water levels and other climate-related shocks. Residents have faced disrupted access to schools, health facilities and markets, while some have also lost crops and property. The committee said it would use what it observed to shape recommendations to Parliament.

Bungokho North MP Shafiga Wanyenya, who serves as deputy chairperson of the committee, said the findings would inform parliamentary action on climate impacts. Dokolo South MP Vincent Opito called for broader tree planting, forest protection and water-source conservation as part of long-term mitigation. He also noted that climate pressures are affecting both people and animals in the area.

Dokolo North MP Joseph Jones Ogwal said the district should prepare climate action plans, document displaced households and losses, and support farmers with climate-resilient agriculture. He added that affected families may need to be profiled first so support can be better targeted. The committee said it will compile its report and seek interventions for communities facing recurring flooding and drought.