UGANDA · LANDSLIDE RESETTLEMENT
Key Facts
- What is happening Uganda’s prime minister says household checks found padded names on lists for landslide resettlement in the Bugisu area.
- Why it matters Cash meant for families on landslide-prone slopes may have reached the wrong people, which tests public-money controls.
- The numbers Each approved household is due Shs18 million (about US$4,400); the government says it has only Shs43 billion (about US$10.5 million).
- Who is who Robinah Nabbanja is Uganda’s prime minister; her office runs disaster relief, and GISOs are sub-county security officers.
- What to watch Final eligible numbers, any action against officials, and whether the money covers the households left on the lists.
- What it means for you Donors and visitors should treat the Mount Elgon slopes as high-risk during the rains and expect payment delays.
Checks on landslide resettlement lists in eastern Uganda found names that should not be there, the prime minister says. The government has funds for far fewer families than are listed.
Uganda’s government says household checks in the Mount Elgon area found padded names on its landslide resettlement lists. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja alleged that some officials added relatives and that others paid to be listed.
Each approved household is due Shs18 million (about US$4,400) to buy land in a safer place. The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) says it has only Shs43 billion (about US$10.5 million) for now.
This is a government verification exercise, not a formal audit. The checks cover Bugisu, the Mount Elgon sub-region of eastern Uganda, where heavy rains threaten fresh landslides.
In Plain English
- —OPM The Office of the Prime Minister, the Ugandan government department that runs disaster relief.
- —Bugisu The Mount Elgon area of eastern Uganda, including Namisindwa, Bududa, Bulambuli and Sironko districts.
- —GISO A Gombolola Internal Security Officer, a sub-county security official who helped to register households.
- —Verification Door-to-door checks that confirm who really lives in a high-risk area.
What the Checks Found
The OPM launched the verification in Namisindwa District on Wednesday 21 October. It aims to confirm that each household is among the more than 13,000 mapped as living in landslide-prone areas.
Nabbanja told journalists the lists had been inflated to about 13,000 families and that about 8,000 remained after checking. She also said some people on the lists do not live in high-risk areas.
Who Is Accused and of What
Nabbanja said some GISOs, who acted as enumerators, put people on the lists, including their relatives. She alleged that others paid to be included and said the government would deal with those responsible.
No official has been named, charged or sanctioned in the accounts checked. The government has not published a formal audit of the lists.
Why Households Are Being Moved
Since 2010 the government has resettled over 1,000 households on land it acquired in Kiryandongo, Bulambuli and Kween districts, the OPM says. Finding large tracts of land in Bugisu proved hard, so Cabinet chose cash payments in October.
Households must use the Shs18 million to buy land in safer places in Bugisu or elsewhere in Uganda. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) will take over vacated land for Mount Elgon National Park.
The OPM says houses will be demolished after payment, with a grace period until 31 December 2026 to harvest crops. Some residents have cited burial grounds and cultural ties as reasons for staying, the Prime Minister said.
How Far the Money Goes
The Prime Minister’s office has only Shs43 billion (about US$10.5 million) and will pay in phases, starting with the riskiest areas. On simple arithmetic, that covers about 2,400 households at Shs18 million each.
That is far fewer than the roughly 8,000 households the Prime Minister says remain on the lists. How the gap will be closed has not been set out.
What It Means for You
For donors, aid groups and lenders, the case shows why beneficiary lists need independent checks before cash is paid. Uganda’s public-money controls are a recurring risk theme for foreign partners.
Visitors to the Mount Elgon slopes during the rains should follow district warnings, because landslides have struck the area before. More on the national picture is in our guide to who runs Uganda’s economy.
Our report on the Kabalega airport deal shows another public project in Uganda. The Uganda hub collects the rest of our coverage.
What Is Not Known
The OPM has not published final eligible numbers, and accounts differ on how many households are targeted and how many remain. Press accounts also cite Shs62 billion (about US$15.2 million), against the OPM’s Shs43 billion (about US$10.5 million).
One press tally of early district figures implied about Shs60 billion (about US$14.7 million) in padded entries. That is a calculation, not a confirmed loss, and no official has been charged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bugisu landslide resettlement plan?
The government will pay eligible households a one-off Shs18 million (about US$4,400) to buy land in safer areas. It aims to move families off the slopes of Mount Elgon.
Did an audit find inflated claims?
No formal audit has been published. The prime minister’s office ran household verification checks, and the prime minister alleges the lists were padded.
What happens to land that families leave?
The Uganda Wildlife Authority will take over vacated land for Mount Elgon National Park. Houses will be demolished after payment, with crops harvestable until 31 December 2026.
How much money has the government set aside?
The OPM says it has Shs43 billion (about US$10.5 million) for now. Some press accounts cite Shs62 billion (about US$15.2 million).
What is a GISO?
A Gombolola Internal Security Officer is a sub-county security official. The prime minister alleges some of them added names to the lists.
Sources: Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda, “Government verifies households at risk of landslides in Bugisu”, 26 October 2026; Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda, official site (the padding allegations are the Prime Minister’s remarks of 21 to 25 October 2026 as reported by two Ugandan outlets, not an OPM audit; shilling amounts converted at about 4,092 shillings per US$, the 4 November market rate, because the Bank of Uganda rate page could not be read; accessed 4 November 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief