 Uganda is prone to both naturally and human induced disasters. These have negative effects on society.  All communities (rural and urban) are vulnerable to disasters and effects depend on the magnitude.  Rural communities are more prone to adverse effects of disasters because their coping capacities are low with less resilience.  Disasters can undermine development efforts, need for effective disaster management practices.

 Naturally induced: Result from natural processes. These include; earthquakes, drought, flooding, landslides. **Epidemics.  Human induced:Result from human activity: These include fires, construction failures, and explosions, road/ traffic accidents, civil strife, (riots, rebel activities, violent strikes), displacement (IDPs & Refugees),tribal conflicts and evictions.  Silent emergencies: Uganda also has ongoing silent emergencies related to disease, malnutrition, environmental degradation and poverty.  Vulnerability factors include; a fast growing population, poor social and physical infrastructure and haphazard human settlements.

Rebel activities: A reas affected by rebel activities such as Allied Democratic, Forces (ADF) in Western Uganda, People’s Redemption Army, (PRA) in Western Uganda and West Nile and The Lord’s, Resistance Army (LRA) in the North and parts of Eastern Uganda. Refugees: These are immigrant populations from neighboring countries due to insecurity within their motherland. They normally settle in areas within the neighborhood of their countries of origin or in gazetted settlements in Uganda. Neighborhood tension: This often results from conflicts with the neighboring countries due political differences or resource usage. This is common on the borders of Uganda and DRC, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and the Lake Victoria region. Tribal Conflict: This often results from historical differences within the different tribes in the country or inherent cultural practices such as cattle Rustling Karamoja.

Drought:These are areas that fall within the cattle corridor characterized by dry acacia vegetation and receiving less than 800 mm of annual rainfall. Earthquake: Are areas that fall within the western rift valley and those that have experienced incidences of earthquakes in the past. Flooding: These are areas within the neighborhood of water bodies such as lakes and rivers. Include low lying areas and communities in haphazard settlements. Landslides: These are areas located near steep hill slopes and mountainous areas of Mt. Rwenzori, Mt. Elgon, Kisoro and Kigezi hills. Volcanic Activity: This is in areas that have active volcanoes e.g the caldera area of Mt. Elgon, hot spring areas in the western rift valley and the Muhavura volcanoes in Kisoro.

Drought Thematic Layers

Earthquake

Flooding Risk

Rebel activity

Landslides

Refugees

NEIGHBORHOOD TENSION

TRIBAL CLASHES

Volcanic Activity

Tribal Clashes Neighborhood Tension Earthquake Volcanic Activity Banditry Refugees Flooding Landslides Drought Overlaying Disaster themes

UGANDA DISASTER RISK ZONING Emergency factors

Uganda’s Disaster Risk Index

Conclusion. Put in place Preparedness Measures to ensure Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. Disaster Preparedness Framework Vulnerability Assessment PlanningInstitutional Framework Information Systems Resource Base Warning Systems Response Mechanisms Public Education and Training Rehearsals

 Climate Change should not be ignored as a hazard b’se it increases disaster risk and it generates new threats, which Uganda may have no experience in dealing with. “ADAPTATION IS NOLONGER AN OPTION!”

I thank you all