Legislators from Bugisu sub-region in eastern Uganda, have appealed to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, to urge government secure a loan for quick resettlement of the Bududa landslide suvivours who now are suffering as a result of mudslides washing away their homes and properties.
The members of parliament (MPs) under their umbrella body, Bugisu Parliamentary Caucus said that the rate at which the central government has been handling resettlement of the affected families does not match with the rate at which landslides are occurring in the mountainous region on the border with Kenya.
The MPs proposed that government compensates the affected families rather than construct houses for them because the latter has dragged for so long and that those in settlement areas in Kiryandongo and Bulambuli districts are already crying of lack of certain amenities.
“For now it is urgent that government takes a loan and compensates people just like in the road construction case. It can even be half the money they are using to construct a house – even if it is Shs20 million per household because people are desperate,” said Bubulo County West MP, Rose Mutonyi,
Kadaga concurred with the legislators and noted that the Bududa situation has persisted for a long time. “The livelihood and resettlement of people in the highlands of Bududa is something which government should address. We need to take a decision and deal with the issue completely,” the Speaker said.
She pledged to engage the President Yoweri Museveni on the proposal to borrow funds for resettlement of the landslide victims. President Yoweri Museveni, according to the legislators, is scheduled to travel to Bududa in a fortnight.
MPs told Kadaga that residents in Bududa are living in fear of not only the landslides but also reports on the cracks developing and the land that is sagging downward.
“We have got a very big crack which goes across Kenya, Bududa, Namisindwa and Sironko,” said Mbale Municipality MP, Jack Wamanga Wamai, adding that in Namisindwa, the land is sagging downwards, there is some bad smell from the ground and we fear it could turn into a crater lake.
The MPs were also concerned that the annual allocation of Shs8 billion for the resettlement is inadequate, “The money has been used to purchase food and to put up temporary shelter,” said MP Mudimi Wamakuyu.
The office of the prime minister recently completed the construction of over 100 houses for the resettlement of the landslide survivors.
The houses are the first phase of a total of 900 houses that are being constructed for the 6300 people to be relocated from Bududa to Bunambutye Subcounty in Bulambuli District
Six people have been confirmed dead so far while many have sustained injuries following the recent mudslide in the area.
