By AFAYO SHADRACH BETHEL

Opposition leaders have advised the families of the victims of last weekend’s Mbale city floods to sue the government for negligence leading to the loss of lives.

At 29 people lost their lives when several rivers in Mbale including Nabuyonga, Namatala, and Nashibiso burst their banks triggering floods in Mbale city.

The floods also killed several animals and displaced hundreds of people and according to the opposition leaders, the deaths resulting from the flooding would have been avoided if the government through its agencies was vigilant enough to block roads to avoid traffic on the routes that were submerged by the floods.

Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of Opposition has advised the affected families to drag the government to court for failing to protect people’s lives. Mpuuga, who was in Mbale City yesterday to conduct an impact and needs assessment following the calamity, wondered if the police were in Mbale on the fateful night when people drowned.

John Baptist Nambeshe, the Opposition Chief Whip said that the police slept on the job when they failed to act in time to block traffic on the roads affected by the floods. He said that when the Meteorological Authority issued a warning about the heavy rains, the government never put in place any mitigation measures.