Summary:

• Government has initiated the relocation of over 5,000 households in the eastern part of the country due to the imminent risk of deadly landslides

The Ugandan government has initiated the relocation of over 5,000 households in the eastern part of the country due to the imminent risk of deadly landslides. This action follows a devastating series of landslides in late November that claimed at least 36 lives in the Bulambuli district, with many more still missing.

Lillian Aber, the State Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness, highlighted the growing danger posed by a massive land fissure stretching across approximately 70 kilometers (44 miles) in the mountainous region. She urged residents to evacuate immediately, stressing that waiting for a disaster to strike is not an option. “We cannot afford to wait for a disaster to happen,” Aber stated.

The government has set a two-week deadline for residents in the affected areas—Bulambuli, Mbale, and Bududa districts—to evacuate voluntarily before mandatory measures are implemented. In response to the crisis, the government has pledged a resettlement package for evacuees, offering financial assistance and land to those displaced.

The landslide threat is exacerbated by unusually heavy rains, worsened by the ongoing El Niño weather pattern. These rains have already wreaked havoc across East Africa, with neighboring Kenya reporting over 228 fatalities and the displacement of over 200,000 people. Uganda, too, faces recurring landslide tragedies during the rainy season, with memories of the 2010 Bududa landslide, which killed more than 350 people, still vivid in the region.

As East Africa continues to grapple with extreme weather events, authorities are working to mitigate the risks and protect vulnerable communities.