Resettled landslide survivors in fear after houses develop cracks

Landslide victims, who were resettled in Bunambutye Resettlement Camp in Bulambuli District, are living in fear after their houses started developing cracks.

 The victims were relocated in 2019 after the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) bought more than 2,800 acres of land in 2013.

 Close to 263 families, comprising more than 4,000 people, have so far been resettled in the camp in the three phases; 2019, 2020 and 2022.

 When the Monitor visited the site last week, it established that more than 90 houses had developed cracks, barely three years after they were constructed.

 This has triggered panic among residents, who were relocated from the disaster-prone districts of Bududa, Manafwa, Sironko, Bulambuli, and Namisindwa.

  The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Engineering Brigade, the Police Construction Unit and the Uganda Prisons constructed the houses.

 Mr John Wakube, a resident, who lost his wife in a landslide, said his house is in a sorry state.

 “The big cracks have made the walls of the house so weak and I am now living in fear because anything might happen,” he said.

 At Bunambutye Primary School, the teachers abandoned the staff room after the ceiling of the administration block developed cracks one year after it was constructed.

 Mr Anthony Wabusi, another resident, said whenever it rains, they have sleepless nights because they fear the house might collapse.

 “We appeal to the government to come to our rescue because as I speak the doors of my house can’t close because of the effect of the cracks,” Mr Wambusi said.

 Mr James Wamakuyu, another resident, is contemplating relocating his family back to Bududa.

 “If we are struggling to get food to feed my children, how can I afford money to buy cement? The only option for me is to relocate my family for safety reasons,” he said.

 Mr Deo Wanganda, who was relocated to the site in 2019, wondered why the government resettled them to poorly constructed houses.  “My children are not safe in this house. There is a need for total renovation, if we are to continue living here,” he said.

 Mr Anthony Masiga said his children are traumatised and are performing poorly in school due to sleepless nights.

 “We hoped for relief but we now find ourselves in almost the same situation we were in then in Bududa,” he said.

 Mr Julius Kidiyo, the chairperson of the resettlement camp, said most of the houses that have cracks were constructed during the 1st and 2nd phase.

 “We fear that soon the cracked  houses will collapse. We called upon the OPM to come to their rescue.,” he said. 

Mr Isaac Katenya, the MP of Bulambuli County, said:  “Other houses have major cracks that are life-threatening. I have appealed to them to find comfort from the neighbours as government looks for a solution.”

Mr Mark Barasa, the vice chairperson of Bulambuli, said as a district, they don’t have capacity to renovate the houses.

 “Ours is to inform the OPM and the Ministry of Disaster to come and do repairs of the houses,” he said.

 Mr Amiri Khamba, the deputy RDC of Bulambuli, however, said his office was not aware of the cracks.

 “If there is an issue of major concern, they should come and report to the district disaster committee,” he said.

 Mr Julius Mucunguzi, the senior Communications Officer of OPM, said the houses are now the responsibility of the occupants.

 “Those houses were handed over to recipients and they are theirs. They are not OPM houses. It is the occupants to ensure the houses are repaired and maintained,” he said.

landslides

June 2019. Landslides hit Buwali Sub-county, leaving five people dead and more than 400 displaced in Bududa.

October 2018. About 42 people were reportedly killed and more than 500 people displaced in Suume Village in Bukalasi Sub-county.

 August 2017. Landslides hit Bufupa Parish in Sironko District, killing seven people.

 June 2012. Another landslide occurred in Namaga and Bunakasala villages in Bumwalukani Sub-county in Bududa, leaving about 450 people dead and property destroyed.

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