Two weeks ago, landslides triggered by torrential rains ravaged the Bulambuli district on the slopes of Mt Elgon, leaving five people dead and destroying property worth millions of shillings.

Irene Nakasiita, the Uganda Red Cross Society director of communications, resource mobilisation, and strategic partnerships, confirmed that scores of people had also been injured and left homeless.

Unknown to many, these disasters are bound to be more frequent, resulting from the effects of climate change, a phenomenon that results from unpredictable weather patterns.

The UN Meteorological Organisation has warned that the world should prepare for El Nino, a weather condition characterised by heavy rains, in the coming months.

Community members looking at the destroyed part of Masugu Primary School in Buluganya sub-county, Bulambuli district following landslides that hit the area

Reinforcing the fact of natural disasters becoming more frequent due to climate change, indeed, the Bulambuli tragedy is not the first time landslides have hit the area.

In September 2021, Busiya, Bugatisa, Bunasufwa, Bumasamala, and Bulago parishes in the Bulambuli district were devastated by landslides triggered by heavy rains, leaving one person dead and 93 households displaced.

Bududa district, on March 1, 2010, experienced one of the worst landslides, which claimed over 100 lives.

The government-led efforts to relocate and resettle populations living in landslide-prone areas have been ongoing.

However, this state-led effort is reportedly facing hiccups following the residents’ reluctance to abandon the fertile slopes.

Bulambuli local leaders have, however, asked the Government to fast-track the relocation exercise that has dragged on since 2019.

Given the high rains being received in the district (over 1500mm), the Bulambuli LC5 chairperson, Milton Kamoti, says the risk of more floods and subsequent landslides, cannot be doubted.

“More lives could be lost if no action is taken,” Kamoti said.

He disclosed that a crack of about 3km, traversing villages to River Tsume, had developed.

Environmentalists are becoming much concerned with the drastic shifts in weather patterns in the country.

 From the worst drought, the country is now experiencing sweeping floods and mudslides, which have affected about 25 districts.

Community members look at destroyed structures of Masugu Primary School in Buluganya sub-county, Bulambuli district following landslides that hit the area

According to the ICT and national guidance minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, Cabinet has since directed the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, to constitute a team to assess the damage caused by the floods and mudslides.

“We had a brief discussion on the impacts and effects of these heavy rains and mudslides and the cabinet directed the PM to constitute a team and be able to quantify the damage caused in these areas and also mobilise relief support to households which have been affected,” he said.

According to Baryomunsi, the Cabinet also asked the premier to ensure that the government gets resources to repair the infrastructure, such as roads and collapsed bridges.

The current disasters occasioned by heavy rains come on the backdrop of prolonged drought experienced by most parts of the country last year, with the worst-hit area being the northeastern region of Karamoja.

The death toll attributed to hunger and starvation in the region was estimated at 900 people.

Going by the trends, experts predict that the extreme weather events, as well as gradual changes in climate, such as the rising temperature and variation in rainfall patterns, will continue and become more intense in the future if Uganda fails to do the needful.

“Close to half of the citizens report observing declining agricultural yields more than any other form of environmental changes,” the report stated.

Uganda has lost 7% of its wetland cover in the last two decades. The loss, projected to be one of the worst on the continent, Dr Charles Batte, the executive director of Tree Adoption Uganda, said has had adverse effects on the seasonal weather patterns of Uganda and ecological features critical in environmental protection.

Esther Anyakun, the state minister for relief and disaster preparedness in the Office of the Prime Minister, accompanied by Bulambuli MPs, hand over condolence cash to relatives of the deceased during the burial ceremony at Masugu in Buluganya sub-county, Bulambuli district following landslide that claimed the lives of five individuals

He said to abate the problem, they are spearheading the campaign to plant trees on mostly private land to, among others, encourage people to change their mindset towards conservation.

“We are designing conservation agreements with the people, where we come into collaborative arrangements to give them tree seedlings and they sign agreements not to cut the trees for a period between ten to thirty years. Our target is to create micro-forests all around the country without necessarily having government control over them,” he said.

52% of Uganda’s GDP is nature-based which, according to Bryan Toshi Bwana, an environmental activist at Umoja Conservation Trust, demands utmost government-led conservation efforts.

According to Uganda’s water minister, Dr Sam Cheptoris, the country mainly depends on rain for agriculture and livelihood, which is extremely dangerous for food safety.

“Uganda’s capacity to adapt to the effects of climate change is low, which is attributed to limited options of livelihood, and lack of support to climate change adaptation mechanisms, among others,” he said.

Among the solutions, the minister said the government is implementing a five-year plan to establish small-scale solar-powered irrigation schemes around the country to ensure that farmers can grow food throughout the year.

The Government, Cheptoris said, had initially earmarked sh488b ($120m) to establish at least 96 schemes.

Minister Sam Cheptoris

As part of the remedy, President Yoweri Museveni has issued a directive to all wetland encroachers to vacate with immediate effect.

In his Labour Day address in the eastern Uganda town of Namutumba, Museveni indicated plans to establish irrigation schemes to aid rice growing.

How to mitigate the risks of landslides

Various measures can be used to minimise the risks and loss of lives due to landslides.

At the individual level, the best solution is to avoid actions that would increase soil instability. For instance, avoiding to undercut steep banks, and not building near the top or base of steep slopes.

Planting trees on steep slopes to stabilise the soil.

Avoid settling and farming, other than agro-forestry on steep slopes

Careful planning with experts to empower communities to identify unstable slopes and restrict or control development in hazard zones.

Relocation of communities to safe areas.

Engineering solutions

Improving drainage on slopes

Reducing the angle of the slope by excavating to unload the top of the slope.

Building a retainer wall to buttress the bottom of the slope.

Construction of catchment dams and containment basins to control debris and water flow