By Ben Musanje
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has moved to guard against possible diversion of government resettlement funds by personally conducting a roll call and verifying households registered for relocation from landslide-prone areas in the Bugisu sub-region.
Nabbanja began the exercise on Wednesday in Namisindwa District, where she launched the resettlement initiative under which each eligible household will receive UGX 18 million as one-off financial support to facilitate relocation to safer areas.
The initiative follows a directive by President Yoweri Museveni requiring the government to provide UGX 18 million to each eligible household to help them acquire land and relocate from high-risk areas.
An assessment conducted by the Office of the Prime Minister identified approximately 13,000 households living in areas vulnerable to landslides across the Bugisu sub-region. If all the identified households qualify for the full package, the programme would require about UGX 234 billion.
During the exercise, Nabbanja embarked on verifying registered households to establish their eligibility and confirm the people expected to benefit from the resettlement funds.
The verification process is intended to ensure that the assistance reaches the rightful beneficiaries and supports the government’s objective of moving communities away from dangerous areas.
The Prime Minister continued with the exercise despite a change in weather shortly after she began addressing residents, proceeding with the verification of households in the affected communities.
Residents welcomed the initiative and expressed appreciation to President Museveni and Nabbanja for considering their safety amid the threat posed by landslides.
Nabbanja was accompanied by Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Refugees Sam Engola, State Minister for Labour Simon Mulongo, and Members of Parliament representing Namisindwa.
The resettlement package forms part of a broader government programme that has been implemented since 2010 to protect Ugandans and their livelihoods from disasters.
The Bugisu sub-region, characterised by mountainous terrain and steep slopes, has communities living in areas exposed to landslides, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. The relocation initiative is intended to reduce the risks faced by residents and prevent potential loss of life and property.
During her engagement with residents, Nabbanja also commended communities that had previously received funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM), noting that many had put the money to productive use.
She said some beneficiaries had invested their PDM funds in livestock, including cattle, to support their livelihoods.
The verification exercise is expected to guide the identification of households eligible for the UGX 18 million resettlement package. The final cost of the programme will depend on the number of households verified and approved for payment.
The government has not provided a detailed timeline for completing the verification exercise or relocating all the identified households.
For families living in landslide-prone areas, the programme is aimed at facilitating their movement to safer locations while protecting lives, property and livelihoods from disaster-related risks. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
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