State Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Simon Mulongo Wetende, has denied claims that the government intends to grab land belonging to residents of Bugisu Sub-region under the ongoing landslide relocation program. Mulongo, representing the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, emphasized that the initiative is strictly aimed at protecting lives and safeguarding communities exposed to natural disasters.
The Minister described claims that the relocation exercise is a land-grabbing scheme as false propaganda being circulated by individuals seeking to undermine a government intervention designed to prevent further loss of lives in communities vulnerable to landslides. He maintained that the program is being implemented in response to the dangers posed by landslides, particularly in mountainous areas of Bugisu, where communities continue to face the threat of devastating natural disasters.
Mulongo clarified that the Shs18 million government cash transfer is intended to support willing households in acquiring land in safer locations away from landslide-prone areas. He emphasized that the money is not compensation for surrendering land to government, nor does it constitute a mechanism for forcibly dispossessing residents of their ancestral property. According to the Minister, participation in the program is voluntary, and no household should be compelled to abandon its land against its wishes.
The Minister also called upon political and local government leaders in Bugisu Sub-region to desist from what he described as cheap politics surrounding the relocation exercise, warning that political contestation could jeopardize an important public safety intervention. He observed that misinformation and political statements are confusing communities and discouraging some vulnerable households from accepting the Shs18 million support intended to help them acquire land in safer areas.
Mulongo specifically appealed to Local Council chairpersons, councillors, and Members of Parliament from Bugisu Sub-region to take an active role in mobilizing and educating their communities about the relocation program. He said local leaders are strategically positioned to engage directly with households, clarify concerns, and address misconceptions that could undermine the implementation of the initiative.
The relocation program is part of the government's broader efforts to address the recurring threat of landslides in mountainous communities, particularly in the Elgon region, where heavy rainfall and unstable terrain have historically exposed families to devastating disasters. Mulongo reiterated that residents should not allow rumors to discourage them from considering the available intervention, adding that protecting human life must remain the overriding consideration.
Key points
- The Ugandan government has launched a relocation program to protect communities vulnerable to landslides in the Bugisu Sub-region, with a Shs18 million cash transfer to support households in acquiring land in safer locations.
- Minister Mulongo has dismissed allegations of land grabbing, emphasizing that the program is strictly aimed at protecting lives and safeguarding communities exposed to natural disasters.
- The Minister has urged local leaders to mobilize and educate their communities about the relocation program, warning that political contestation could jeopardize the public safety intervention.
