Rwizi Arch Hotel, one of the biggest hotels in Mbarara could be closed soon.
The warning was made Thursday by Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Mbarara Maj. Martha Asiimwe who was at the facility to check on the damages from a wild downpour on Wednesday.
As aggressive floods tore through some parts of Mbarara town on Wednesday evening, they washed away a wall fence separating the hotel from the main road.
The floods charged through the sprawling facility and entered into some of the buildings. Pictures obtained by this website showed a large part of the facility partly covered by dirty waters.
According to Maj. Asiimwe, all this happened because the hotel was built in a wetland and it is blocking water channels that connect to River Rwizi.
She said that she will soon launch a crackdown and facilities like Rwizi Arch Hotel that were built in areas that are in wetlands will be closed, because they are putting people’s lives at risk.
“We shall sit in a security meeting and discuss the next course of action; the proprietor of this hotel should close,” RDC said, adding that the district Land committees that issue titles to people living in wetlands are the perpetrators.
Rehema Marrunga, the hotel’s marketing manager disagreed with Asiimwe, saying that the hotel was constructed after consulting Mbarara Municipality planners and they had not encroached on the river.
“How can my boss make a grave mistake of putting up such facility in a wetland without making inquiries?” she asked.
According to her, it is the municipality council that should be blamed because it has failed to clear the garbage and rubbish which block the trench of the tributary connecting to river Rwizi.
A lot of damages were registered across Mbarara town yesterday, but authorities have not given a clear figure.
One dead body was recovered being carried by R. Rwizi waters Thursday morning. 8 motorcycles and their riders are said to have been washed away by water but so far 5 have been discovered.
The riders were not yet found are the time of publishing this story.
