Kagera quake scars remain

Technician in Bukoba, Kagera region repair houses damaged following recently earthquake that killed 17 peoples, 252 people injured and 840 families’ homeless. PHOTO| FILE

What you need to know:

  • Ms Happiness Philemon, a resident of Hamugembe ward in Bukoba Municipality, shared her story with The Citizen 24 months on after witnessing the collapse of the house she was staying in.

Bukoba. Residents of Bukoba in Kagera Region yesterday recalled the day they witnessed the horror of the 5.7 Ritcher scale earthquake two years ago. Nonetheless, for some life has never been the same since the disaster hit the regions, which is largely within the rift valley.

Ms Happiness Philemon, a resident of Hamugembe ward in Bukoba Municipality, shared her story with The Citizen 24 months on after witnessing the collapse of the house she was staying in.

In the evening ahead of this day, at around 5:00pm, on Sunday of September, Mr Philemon sat outside a partly damaged building as she prepared supper for herself and her two-year old child.

“I was pregnant by the time this building collapsed. My son is now two years old. I have turned this building into a kitchen, since then I decided to stay in an improvised makeshift house behind this house,” she said.

“The owner of the house hasn’t been able to rebuild it. What can we do?” she said, recalling the bad memories of the earthquake, which killed 19 people in 2016.

Data from Kagera regional authorities at that time said an estimated 126,315 people were affected by the earthquake that hit Bukoba District, Misenyi and some parts of Karagwe District, an event that left residents counting the losses and others mourning the death of their loved ones. Mr Nuru Kyabakazi, from Hamugembe, one of the areas that were badly affected by the earthquake, says he has only been able to rehabilitate a small part of the house he is renting after his landlord failed to rebuild the entire building.

“I am only hoping that he will come and do something more about this house. However, I can’t just wait that’s why I have rebuilt part of it,” says the 45-year-old shoe shiner.

A short survey of the areas in Bukoba town reveals houses that have not been repaired since the quake struck.

As Tanzanians mark the second anniversary of the Kagera earthquake, truth still remains that some victims of the disaster, still live in fear that it will one day hit again.

Mr Amos Rwehikiza, a motorcyclist had built a small house in which he was doing retail business, but since the earthquake hit the area, he decided not to rebuild it.

“It doesn’t make sense going back to rebuild the house because I believe that the earthquake will hit the area in the near future. I really do not see why I should take such a risk again. The earthquake destroyed everything I had with the exception of this motorcycle,” says Mr Rwehikiza.