Govt dispatches experts to examine Bulambuli mudslides

BULAMBULI - Officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) have arrived in Bulambuli to assess the magnitude of damages left behind by the mudslides that hit the district on Sunday.

Triggered by the heavy rains, the mudslides buried several villages including Kikuyu, Kifudu, Lukungu, Nambekye, Mapeera, Kikolo West and Nakitembeti.

About 400 people were left homeless by the debris while several roads were cut off. 

The survivors are currently sheltered at the Namisuni sub-county headquarters, neighbouring public schools and local places of worship without sufficient bedding, food, water, or other basic needs.

Besides the tents for shelter they delivered on Tuesday, the office of the prime minister stressed that sustainable interventions towards helping the survivors are being considered.

Charles Odongtho, the head of communications at OPM, confirmed that the tragic incident was being handled and solutions were being sought to help the survivors.
Odongtho said that immediately the OPM received the reports of the disaster and a team was dispatched to conduct analysis.

“The OPM has also delivered other relief items including food, soap and basins among others,” Odongtho said.

OPM on resettlement plans

Odongtho explained that more support was being considered so as to ensure that the “affected people all get the support they need at the moment.”

“More interventions are also underway, among which is resettlement of the people who are now homeless into safer places.”

To speed up the progress of emergency response, OPM is working closely with the Bulambuli district disaster management committee chaired by Mohamed Ramzan Twalla.

Twalla, who doubles as the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer affirmed that they had received an assortment of relief items from OPM on Tuesday, October 29.

Mudslides are common occurrences in Bulambuli district. (Credit: Javier Silas Omagor)

More support needed

He urged the government and the private sector to consider sending more support to the mudslides-affected people in Bulambuli since their “humanitarian conditions still remain dire.”

Twalla was equally concerned by the “ever-increasing mental health gap among the affected people,” which requires psycho-social support, especially for women and children. 

Natural disasters are lately becoming a menace in Bulambuli district with floods, landslides and mudslides being at the lead.

In July 2023, several sub-counties were hit hard including Buluganya Sub County which was the most affected.

Over 10 people were killed with an estimate of 500 displaced by the landslides, a year ago.

Before the Buluganya incident (on September 11, 2022,) tens of hundreds were displaced and at least five persons were killed by the flooding and waterlogging.

Bulambuli district is an area within Mt. Elgon area where several people have died in natural disasters over the last few years.

In 2010, the Government had to relocate and resettle more than 3,000 people from the neighbouring Bududa to Kiryandongo district since villages were ravaged by landslides.

The Government has also relocated thousands from Bududa to Bunambutye in neighbouring embattled Bulambuli (to the lower belt) in recent years.

Besides the Elgon Sub-region, majority of other regions across the country equally suffer from climatic shocks such as the waterlogging and flooding in Teso, Bukedi, landslides and floods in western as well as prolonged droughts in Karamoja and northern Uganda.

“Irresponsible human activities on environment…”

“Climate change is a big problem in the Elgon sub-region and it is having a devastating impact on all the local communities,” Beatrice Anywar, the State Minister for Environment said.

“Between 1989 to date, a lot of lives and property have been lost. We have learnt that the ongoing cultivation on the slopes of the steeps is what has always triggered these effects. Integrated landscape management approach is also running in this region and we strongly hope that this will be vital to help in restoration of depleted forest cover and river banks,” she said.

Justifying her notion, the Minister said; that such irresponsible human-induced activities on the environment; “Weakens the soil texture of the mountain to hold hence mudslides, landslides and floods.”

Anywar emphasized government is aware environment underpins all human well-being, land and environmental degradation undermine the development of the government.

The Ugandan government has pledged to increase investment in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, including the implementation of sustainable land use practices and promotion of renewable energy sources.