Mudslide RELOCATIONS: PM Nabbanja Launches 2nd Phase Resettlement

By Our Reporter

KWEEN, Uganda March 31 [SHIFTMEDIA]  In the shadow of Mount Elgon, where fertile slopes have long sustained generations, fear has become an unwelcome inheritance. For years, families in Kween District have lived with the constant threat of landslides—silent, sudden, and often deadly. Now, in a bold attempt to rewrite that story, the government has begun moving hundreds of vulnerable households to safer ground.

At the heart of this effort is Robinah Nabbanjja, whose recent visit to Kween marked more than a ceremonial appearance. It was a moment that carried the weight of survival, dignity, and a fragile hope for communities that have lost too much to the mountain’s unpredictable moods.

Standing before residents gathered under a temporary tent in the rolling plains of Giriki River Sub-county, Nabbanja announced the launch of the second phase of resettlement—targeting 101 households out of a total of 461 identified as being at high risk of landslides. For many in attendance, this was not just another government program; it was a lifeline.

Each household under the plan will receive two acres of land and a cash package of UGX 10 million. But beyond the numbers lies a deeper story—one of uprooting lives, leaving ancestral land behind, and stepping into an uncertain future.

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“I was born on that mountain. My parents are buried there,” said one elderly resident, her voice trembling as she described the emotional toll of relocation. “But the soil has turned against us. We have no choice.”

For decades, the slopes of Mount Elgon have been both a blessing and a curse. The volcanic soils are rich and productive, but increasingly unstable due to deforestation, population pressure, and erratic weather patterns. Landslides have claimed lives, destroyed homes, and wiped out entire gardens in a matter of minutes.

 

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Government officials say the relocation is not only necessary but urgent.

The resettlement land, spanning approximately two square miles, has been secured in Giriki River Sub-county in Soi County and Sundet Sub-county. Here, the terrain is flatter, safer, and more suitable for permanent settlement. For the first time in years, families will sleep without the fear of the ground giving way beneath them.

It is here that the voice of the Resident District Commissioner, Hope Atuhairwe, has emerged as both a mobiliser and a steady presence in the unfolding transition.

A retired Assistant Superintendent of Police and a committed mobiliser for the ruling National Resistance Movement, Atuhairwe has played a central role in rallying communities across the Sebei sub-region to embrace the resettlement programme—often in the face of hesitation and deep emotional resistance.

“This exercise is about saving lives,” Atuhairwe said during the Prime Minister’s visit. “We have walked with these communities, listened to their fears, and explained why this move is necessary. No development can happen where people live under constant threat.”

She credited the leadership of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for prioritising disaster preparedness and ensuring that vulnerable Ugandans are not left behind.

“The President has always emphasized the need to protect wananchi first,” she added. “What we are seeing today is a demonstration of that commitment—taking people from danger zones and giving them a real chance at life.”

Atuhairwe’s mobilisation efforts have extended beyond Kween, cutting across the wider Sebei region where she has consistently engaged local leaders, opinion shapers, and affected families to build trust in the government’s intervention. Her message has remained firm: relocation is not displacement, but protection.

Yet, the transition is not without challenges.

Adjusting to a new environment—socially, economically, and culturally—takes time. Recognizing this, the government has committed to providing relief support for six months, including food aid and basic necessities, to help families settle in.

Nabbanja emphasized that the resettlement program is part of a broader national strategy to address disaster risk and climate vulnerability.

“We cannot continue to lose lives to preventable disasters,” she said. “This is about protecting our people and giving them a chance to rebuild.”

Her words resonated with many, but questions linger.

Will the land be enough to sustain growing families? Will social services such as schools, health centers, and water sources be developed in time? And perhaps most importantly—will the relocated communities truly feel at home?

For younger residents, the move presents an opportunity. Some see it as a chance to start afresh, free from the trauma that has defined their childhood.

“I want to farm without fear,” said a young father of three. “If the government supports us well, we can make this place better than where we came from.”

For others, especially the elderly, the loss is harder to quantify. Land is not just property—it is identity, memory, and belonging.

As the sun dipped behind the distant hills, trucks loaded with household belongings began their slow journey to the new settlement areas. Mattresses, cooking pots, and bundles of clothes were stacked precariously, symbols of lives in transition.

Children watched with a mix of curiosity and confusion, while their parents carried the heavier burden of uncertainty.

Still, amid the displacement, there is a quiet resilience.

The story unfolding in Kween is not just about disaster response—it is about the human capacity to adapt, to endure, and to hope. It is about a government attempting to act before tragedy strikes again, and communities willing to take a leap of faith.

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For the families of Kween, safety may finally be within reach. But the journey toward stability, dignity, and belonging has only just begun.