Uganda, March 2 -- At the beginning of last month, the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) warned Ugandans to brace for a dry spell. The weatherman in its February forecast predicted that most parts of the country would experience dry weather conditions, with the country expected to be much warmer than average.

This, the authority warned, could reduce pastures for animals; result in potential water resource depletion, aggravate human-wildlife conflicts and agricultural challenges; and there was a heightened risk of malaria outbreaks due to favourable conditions for mosquito breeding.

Before that, in August last year, UNMA issued an alert, warning Ugandans to brace themselves for heavy rainfall in the months of September to D...