By Weswa Ronnie
BUDUDA
Plans to relocate landslide victims from disaster-prone areas in Bududa District to Bunambutye government resettlement land are in jeopardy due to reports that many beneficiaries misused funds intended for relocation.
During a stakeholders’ meeting at the Bududa district headquarters on Thursday, 15th August, 2024, State Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness, Lillian Aber, was informed that some beneficiaries had diverted funds meant for relocation to other purposes. This meeting also marked the official launch of the relocation exercise, with 242 families expressing readiness to move.
This effort represents the second phase of relocating people living in high-risk areas within the Bugisu sub-region. Unlike the first phase, where houses were constructed for the victims, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) partnered with the NGO Give Directly to provide each household with 17 million shillings to facilitate resettlement at Bunambutye in Bulambuli District.
The relocation program was initiated in March 2024, focusing on Bududa, the most disaster-prone district in the Bugisu region. Initially targeting 1,000 families, the program managed to register 271 households, though some individuals faced challenges due to lack of national IDs or not meeting eligibility criteria.
In the program’s first phase, 223 families received 7 million shillings each, with a promise of an additional 10 million to complete the 17 million shillings needed for relocation. However, during the meeting, it was revealed that some beneficiaries had not yet received these funds, while others had used the money for non-relocation purposes such as paying school fees, buying food, or even paying dowries. This has raised concerns about the readiness of the affected people to leave their current homes, given the insufficient funds to build new houses at the resettlement site.
Minister Lillian Aber emphasized the government’s commitment to relocating families at high risk of landslides in the Elgon sub-region, a program that began in 2010 after the Nametsi landslide disaster, which claimed over 100 lives. In response to the slow and expensive process of building houses for victims, the government adopted a cash transfer strategy in 2022 to expedite relocation efforts in the Mount Elgon sub-region.
Under this strategy, all households that received 7 million shillings from Give Directly International are eligible for an additional 10 million shillings and two acres of land from the government. So far, 3,760 out of 4,113 approved households have successfully received payments, with some unable to do so due to issues like lacking national IDs.
To further reduce the risk of landslides, the government has expanded the registration of cash transfer beneficiaries to other districts, including Mbale, Kapchorwa, Bukwo, Bulambuli, and Kween, where households are also at high risk.
On April 12, 2024, the government disbursed 10 million shillings to 271 households, with 242 of these ready for relocation to Bunambutye. Minister Aber announced that preparations are underway to transport these households, representing 1,650 people, to their new homes.
Despite these efforts, Bududa LCV Chairperson Milton Kamoti Wasunguyi criticized the relocation process, arguing that the initial 7 million shillings were insufficient and that many beneficiaries had diverted the funds to other needs. He called for the relocation plan to be postponed until all 17 million shillings is provided, the circumcision season concludes, and children finish their national exams.
In response, Minister Aber warned against politicizing the relocation program, stressing the urgency of moving people to safety before the next disaster season. She assured that those who received the initial 7 million shillings would receive the remaining 10 million this week and that the relocation would proceed as planned.
Bududa Resident District Commissioner Africano Aharikunbira also vowed that no politician will be allowed to obstruct the relocation efforts. He stated that once the funds are disbursed, the relocation will be enforced, whether beneficiaries are willing or not.
Isaac Modoi, Member of Parliament for Lutsekhe constituency, urged fellow political leaders to support the relocation to prevent further loss of life.
