It has been a dark and devastating week for communities in the Sebei sub-region as a series of deadly landslides, triggered by days of torrential rain, continue to claim lives and destroy homes across the mountainous districts of Bukwo, Kapchorwa, and Kween.
At least six people were confirmed dead and 17 others remain missing after fresh mudslides struck parts of Bukwo and Kapchorwa on Saturday, adding to the nine killed earlier in similar incidents in Bukwo and Kween on Thursday.
The worst hit area was Kwanwa Village in Kapteka Parish, Chesower Sub-county, Bukwo District, where more than 20 people are feared buried after torrents of mud and debris swept through the village in the early hours of Saturday morning.
According to Uganda Red Cross communications manager John Cliff Wamala, only two bodies—both children—had been recovered by Saturday evening.
Two survivors were rescued and taken to Kapchorwa General Hospital for treatment.
“Rescue operations are ongoing but are being slowed down by the difficult terrain and use of rudimentary tools,” Wamala said, adding that emergency teams had been deployed to assist local efforts.
Kwanwa Village Chairperson Simon Matila said four homes were completely buried, with all occupants trapped inside. Residents are digging through the mud using hoes, sticks, and spades in a desperate search for survivors.
One resident, Irene Chemutai, said an entire household of nine people had vanished under the debris. In another home of four, only one person survived, while a family of seven recorded two survivors and two bodies recovered
. Three others remain unaccounted for.
In a separate tragedy, five members of the same family were killed when another landslide hit Tegree Cell in Kapchorwa Municipality. One of the victims was a recent university graduate, whose life was abruptly cut short.
Tingey County MP Solomon Chelangat Alinga appealed to residents living in high-risk areas to temporarily relocate to safer ground.
“We have to think about life above everything else—it is very precious,” Chelangat said.
Kween County MP William Chemonges echoed the appeal, warning that continued rains could trigger further disasters if government does not act swiftly to relocate people from red-zone areas.
“These repeated landslides are a clear signal that we need urgent relocation. Government should come to our rescue; we cannot continue losing lives year after year,” Chemonges said.
Local leaders say the latest disasters highlight the urgent need for a coordinated resettlement programme for communities living on unstable slopes across the Sebei highlands.
The Uganda Red Cross has deployed an emergency response team to support rescue and relief operations in Bukwo, Kapchorwa, and Kween.
With more rain forecast in the coming days, residents remain anxious—hoping for safety, support, and a long-delayed government plan to resettle families from disaster-prone zones.