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More than 140 Bududa landslide families to be relocated to Bunambutye camp

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By Paul Watala

More than 140 Bududa landslide families still staying in landslide prone areas will be relocated to Bunambutye resettlement camp in Bulambuli district in two weeks’ time to avoid being trapped by the looming landslides.

The minister for Disaster, Hillary Onek, has said that the total of 140 Bududa landslide families still staying in landslide prone areas will be relocated to Bunambutye resettlement camp in Bulambuli district in two weeks’ time to avoid being trapped by the looming landslides.

Onek made the revelation on (Friday, November 08, 2019) as he led a team of officials from other concerned sister ministries on a fact finding tour to access the progress of the works under phase two at Bunambutye camp.

Onek, while addressing the officials and journalists at the camp said that most of the houses under phase two had been completed while others, the works were over 75%.

Onek noted that currently, the region is being ravaged by daily heavy downpour, adding that the more it rains the families get exposed to landslide risks.

“The region is experiencing heavy rains that may cause another deadly landslide hence killing people. We have taken decision that let the completed houses be occupied immediately in two weeks,” Onek said.

“We cannot afford to see our people being buried in the mudslide and yet we have houses that have been completed waiting to be occupied,” he added.

Onek also noted that government has started opening up five hundred acres of land for the families to get involved in farming to fight food insecurity and eradicate poverty in their households.

He said that each family will be given two acres of land in addition to one acre of land that they got earlier; where their houses are sited on to make the number of acres come to three.

“The tractors have started opening up the land and we appeal to the families to take advantage of the rains to plant crops that yield quickly like vegetables. We are looking at setting up the irrigation systems that will provide water during the dry season,” Onek said.

Onek said that government is to construct 900 units with over 100,000 people relocated from landslide prone areas in the entire district found on the slopes of Mt Elgon.

The relocation of landslide victims started early this year and so far, about 1,000 people have been relocated to Bunambutye resettlement camp in Bulambuli district.

He said that government is considering making some changes in the plan by constructing storage houses to save space for farming, adding that it is also to construct two primary schools and one secondary school for the families.

Onek noted that the police station, health center, cemetery where they will be burying their beloved ones that died, recreation center, shopping moral, churches and mosques so that families can speak to their God.

He said that 140 families are successfully relocated and the number will come to 241 families, and that construction under third phase will immediately kickoff, adding that relocation drive is a ten year programme.