More than 20 homes have been damaged by a storm in Sembabule District, leaving families facing possible food shortages after hailstones destroyed crops and strong winds ripped the roof off a police station.
More than 20 houses have been destroyed or damaged by a storm in Sembabule District, leaving residents homeless and raising fears of food shortages after hailstones and heavy rains damaged crops in Kyeera and Mpumudde sub-counties.
The storm, which struck around dawn, also ripped the entire roof off Kyeera Police Station, damaging property and disrupting police operations as officers struggle to find suitable space from which to serve the community.
Residents have appealed to the government and local leaders for emergency assistance, including iron sheets to repair damaged homes and support to help affected families recover their livelihoods.
The Officer in Charge of Kyeera Police Station, ASP Luke Monday, said the storm struck at approximately 5am, leaving the facility exposed to the elements and damaging most of its property.
“The rain left the police station without a roof, and most of our property was damaged. We are now struggling to find a suitable place to carry out our duties,” Monday said.
The damage has raised concerns among residents who depend on the station for security services, particularly in an area where livestock theft remains a persistent problem.
Makoole Village Defence Secretary Charles Ssenjiya said residents had been working with police to combat crime but feared that the destruction of the station could complicate those efforts.
“Crime is widespread in our community, including the theft of livestock. We have been working closely with our police officers to fight these crimes, but we are now worried that the situation could get worse because we no longer have a properly functioning police station,” Ssenjiya said.
He appealed to government authorities to urgently restore the facility so that officers can resume their duties under suitable working conditions.
Families Fear Food Shortages
Beyond the damage to homes and public infrastructure, residents said the storm had destroyed crops on which many households depend for food and income.
The hailstones and heavy rainfall damaged gardens, leaving some families worried about how they would feed their children after losing crops they had relied on for their livelihoods.
The affected communities are calling on the Office of the Prime Minister to provide emergency relief, particularly iron sheets for households whose roofs were damaged or completely blown away.
“We are appealing to the Office of the Prime Minister to come to our rescue by providing iron sheets so that we can rebuild our houses. Our crops have also been destroyed, and we do not know what we will feed our children because the gardens we depended on have been damaged,” residents said.
They warned that without timely assistance, affected households could remain exposed to further rainfall while struggling to recover from the destruction.
Residents want the government and local authorities to assess the damage, identify families whose homes were completely destroyed and provide assistance according to the severity of their losses.
The destruction of Kyeera Police Station has also raised the need for urgent repairs to maintain access to policing services and prevent disruption to security operations.
As residents begin assessing their losses, they are calling for emergency support to rebuild homes, restore the police station and help farming households recover from the damage.