Landslide disaster looms as cracks emerge in Bulambuli

The government says residents should relocate to safer areas before disaster strikes

Fresh cracks near the scar of the landslide sites in several villages in Bulambuli District have left hundreds of locals in fear.

Last week, landslides triggered by the heavy rains occurred in Namisuni and Sisiyi Sub-counties displacing locals in several villages and also destroyed crops and livestock.

The report conducted by Bulambuli and Office of the Prime Minister indicates 464 households were destroyed and 371 houses are at risk in 26 villages across the affected sub-counties.

When Daily Monitor visited the affected villages on November , we found about 55 households at risk of collapse due to continuous rainfall.

The fresh cracks were also visible running through villages with locals, blaming the government for failure to heed to their calls to have them relocated to safer areas.

“We have always asked the government to consider us in the relocation plan but in vain. Some of us were given yellow cards but we were never relocated,” Mr Robert Wepukhulu, a resident of Namisuni, one of the affected villages, said.

The yellow cards were given by the Office of the Prime Minister to the locals in different districts who had been selected for resettlement.

Mr Wepukhulu said they are currently homeless and still living in fear because the heavy rains are still pounding the area.

“Our houses have been destroyed and others have houses that are adjacent to where the landslides occurred,” he said.

Also at risk due to fresh cracks are government institutions such as health centres and primary schools including Bugibologoto Health Centre, Gamatimbei Health Centre and Bugibologoto Primary School.

Bulambuli is one of the districts in Elgon that is prone to a range of natural disasters notably landslides in the highlands of the district and floods and storms in the low lands.

Mr Charles Kibulobe, another survivor whose house was buried, said it was unfortunate that the government never considered Bulambuli as part of the beneficiaries of the funds that were provided by Give Directly, a non-governmental organisation.

“We host the landslide victims from other areas in our district and if they were to be fair, they have made us priority,” he said.

Last year, Give Directly provided each household living in high risk areas in the districts of Bududa, Manafwa and Namsindwa Shs7 million for resettlement under the new strategy of cash transfers. The government also added the identified beneficiaries Shs10 million in April this year.

About 4,113 households in districts of Elgon were approved by the government to benefit under the cash transfer strategy, with Bududa taking a big share of 1,993 households, Manafwa (894), Namisindwa (418), Sironko (455), Kapchorwa 133, Bukwo (173) and Bulambuli (210)

The new strategy of cash transfer was passed by Cabinet and adopted in 2022, where the victims are supposed to be given money to relocate to Bunambutye in Bulambuli to be given land and to build their own houses.

The government has been resettling households at high risk of landslides in the Elgon area since the 2010 Nametsi landslide disaster where more than 100 lives were lost but local leaders say the resettlement moves at slow pace.

The survivors of the 2010 landslides were relocated to government land in Kiryandongo District, but in 2019 government procured land for resettlement within Bugisu Sub-region, Bulambuli District. Close to 300 families, comprising more than 5,000 people have so far been resettled.

The Chief Administrative Officer of Bulambuli, Mr Emmy Ejuku Olaboro, said they have sensitised the locals to keep off risky areas given the early warning signs.

“We also request that the displaced households be relocated to Bunambutye resettlement site,” he said.

Ms Lilian Aber, the Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, during her visit to the landslide sites at the weekend said: “Those affected, especially the 24 families will be given priority and they will receive Shs10 million from the government since some have already received Shs7 million from Give directly.” 

“We appeal to the local leaders to embark on sensitisation to ensure people move to safer areas because we don’t want to lose lives,” she added.

The LCV chairperson of Bulambuli, Ms Annet Nandudu, said the government should fulfil its promises. “People were given yellow cards but they never relocated. Every year landslides occur, the ministers come and make statements and go away, nothing changes.” 

Ms Nandudu said she was not aware of a resident in Bulambuli who has so far received Shs7 million from the Give directly as Ms Aber has claimed.