Delays in Elgon Region landslide victim resettlement amid idle funds and implementation challenges

The resettlement of landslide victims in the Elgon region has faced significant delays as earmarked funds remain idle in the bank.

The current relocation phase features a new cash transfer policy, which provides each household with shs17 million shillings (shs10 million from the government and shs7 million from development partner GiveDirectly), along with two acres of land in Bunambutye.

This policy aims to empower families to build their own homes compared to the previous model of providing fully constructed houses.

The housing strategy, once praised by former Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda as a "global model," was halted in 2022 due to high costs.

Bulambuli District Chairperson Annet Nandudu lamented the persistent deaths due to delayed resettlement.

In 2022, the government allocated shs12 billion  of the shs57 billion needed to resettle 5,717 families under this new model.

Despite this significant allocation, progress has been slow, with most funds remaining unused until April this year when 242 families finally received shs10 million each, totaling shs2.4 billion .

Despite this recent disbursement, the overall pace of the relocation effort has remained sluggish, leaving many families awaiting land allocation.

To address this issue, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is ramping up its efforts to expedite the relocation process.

Permanent Secretary Dunstan Balaba recently visited Bulambuli to discuss the next steps in relocating landslide victims from Bududa to Bunambutye, aiming to overcome the delays and accelerate the resettlement efforts.

The OPM team is on the ground to open, survey, and demarcate land for distribution to the displaced families, open roads, and relocate earmarked households to Bunambutye Primary School while awaiting the construction of houses by the heads of households.

Balaba’s visit aimed to familiarize district officials with the OPM's relocation plan and gather input from local authorities.

This visit follows a similar visit to Bududa by Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees State Minister Lillian Aber a week earlier.

He revealed that the government will allocate 506 acres for resettlement, capable of accommodating only a small portion of the displaced families.

To address this shortfall, Balaba announced plans to acquire an additional 10,000 acres to relocate the remaining 5,464 households.

He urged locals to prepare for the bidding process and be cautious of exploitation by speculators, noting that a procurement advertisement would soon be released.

The PS stressed the urgency of relocation, advising residents in high-risk areas to move to safer locations immediately.

“During August and September, it is critical that people begin moving to safer areas. If you wait too long, it may be too late for us to help you,” he cautioned.

The OPM is now seeking shs45 billion  to complete the resettlement process, aiming to safeguard the lives of those still at risk.

However, Lutseshe MP Isaac Modi has pointed out critical issues with the implementation of the resettlement strategy.

He reports that delays in allocating land have led some beneficiaries to use their cash grants for urgent expenses instead of investing in housing, hampering the success of the new cash transfer approach.

GiveDirectly has already provided shs7 million to 1,900 households, compared to the 242 households that have received shs10 million  from the government.

The recent visits by the minister and the permanent secretary indicate a renewed commitment to completing the relocation process.

The OPM is now seeking over shs45 billion to resettle the remaining 5,464 households.

Bulambuli RDC Stanley Bayole urged the teams to expedite the relocation exercise to avert further tragedies.