Bugisu Cultural Institution Deserves a Seat at the Table in Landslide Victims’ Compensation and Relocation Exercise

The Bugisu Cultural Institution has called on the government to fully involve its leadership and clan structures in the ongoing relocation of households living in landslide-prone areas of the Bugisu sub-region, warning that sidelining traditional leaders could undermine the success of the programme. 

The institution’s spokesperson, Uwelukoosi Steven Masiga, told Nile Chronicles that meaningful consultation with the cultural leadership is essential as the government implements a new resettlement approach under which eligible households will receive a one-off payment of UGX18 million to purchase land in safer locations.

Masiga said the institution, also known as Bukuuka, wants to be involved in planning, community sensitization and the actual relocation of thousands of people facing the threat of landslides.

He argued that involving cultural leaders is not only a matter of good manners and respect for the institution but also a practical requirement for ensuring that the relocation exercise succeeds.

“For the proper success of the current relocation exercise in Bugisu, where thousands of our people are going to be relocated from landslide-prone areas, the cultural institution and its clan structures must be fully involved in the planning, sensitization and relocation exercise of its subjects,” Masiga said.

He expressed concern that the government appeared to be implementing the programme without adequately briefing the cultural institution on the planned activities, the number of households affected and the arrangements being made for communities expected to move.

“The Cultural Institution feels uncomfortable when government decides to unilaterally relocate its subjects when we, as Bukuuka, are not well briefed and updated,” he said.

Masiga added that the institution’s leadership considers its exclusion a disturbing development and is petitioning the government to ensure that clan chairpersons, their executive committees and the entire cultural leadership are involved in the process.

He warned that excluding traditional leaders could create misunderstandings within communities and later expose the institution to blame if the relocation programme encounters difficulties.

“In future, we do not want anybody to attribute the failure of the programme to the cultural institution by pointing fingers at Bukuuka, claiming that the programme failed because the cultural institution was bypassed. How can you relocate over 2,000 families without briefing us?” he asked.

Cultural heritage at stake

Beyond the relocation of households, Masiga said the exercise must take into account the cultural and historical significance of sites located in areas affected by landslides.

He explained that some of the communities facing relocation have traditional cultural sites and ceremonial grounds that could be disrupted if the exercise proceeds without consultations with the institution and the relevant clan leaders.

According to Masiga, the cultural leadership wants to help identify and preserve these sites while working with the government to determine how traditional cultural yards can be relocated or re-established in designated areas where necessary.

“There are cultural sites in these areas. Where are they planning to relocate them? Let us be involved as a cultural institution and ensure that we can relocate the traditional cultural yards to marked and designated areas,” he said.

He maintained that resettlement should not focus exclusively on moving people away from dangerous locations but should also consider the cultural ties, traditional practices and community structures that shape the lives of the affected households.

Masiga said the involvement of clan leaders would help government communicate effectively with residents, address concerns and encourage cooperation during the relocation process.

Government’s new resettlement approach

The government last week commenced implementation of a new resettlement programme targeting households living in landslide-prone areas of the Bugisu sub-region.

Under the new approach, each eligible household is expected to receive a one-off payment of UGX18 million to purchase land in a safer location.

The cash-based arrangement is intended to address longstanding challenges associated with acquiring sufficiently large tracts of land for resettlement within the region and providing alternative settlement sites for all vulnerable households.

Government has been implementing a resettlement programme for landslide-prone communities in Bugisu since 2010, with hundreds of households relocated to land acquired in Kiryandongo, Bulambuli and Kween districts.

However, the process has faced difficulties because of limited availability of suitable land, slowing the relocation of vulnerable families and complicating efforts to move everyone at risk to safer locations.

The new arrangement is expected to give eligible beneficiaries greater flexibility to purchase land according to their needs and the availability of suitable property, rather than depending entirely on government-acquired resettlement sites.

While welcoming the government's renewed efforts to protect communities from natural disasters, Masiga said the cultural institution should be treated as a partner in implementing the programme.

“We salute government for the approach it has taken in saving our people from natural calamities, but we equally appeal to them to consult our customary and cultural leaders for the success of the programme,” he said.

Cultural institution offers support

Masiga said the Bugisu cultural institution is structured to play a supportive role in government programmes affecting its subjects and should be allowed to fulfil that responsibility.

He argued that the institution's customary leadership and clan structures could assist government in mobilising communities, explaining the objectives of the relocation programme and addressing concerns that may arise among beneficiaries.

“The cultural institution is structured to play a supportive role in all government programmes, and nobody should distract us from executing this role, which is ordained by the Constitution and our Adat protocols,” Masiga said in a telephone interview from Mbale.

He called for a coordinated approach in which government officials, cultural leaders, clan chairpersons and community representatives work together to ensure that relocation is conducted transparently and with the cooperation of affected families.

Such engagement, he suggested, would help prevent misunderstandings over eligibility, land acquisition, compensation and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Concerns over the use of compensation money

Masiga also raised concerns about reports that some beneficiaries could interpret the UGX18 million payment as a financial windfall rather than money intended to secure safer land.

He claimed that some members of the community were contemplating taking additional wives following the announcement of the compensation arrangement, warning that such decisions could undermine the programme's intended purpose.

“Masiga said some of their subjects were contemplating marrying several women because of this alleged windfall,” according to his account.

He called for further community sensitisation to ensure beneficiaries understand that the money is intended to facilitate their relocation and improve their safety, rather than provide disposable income.

The concerns highlight the importance of clear communication about the purpose of the payments, the responsibilities of beneficiaries and the need to prioritise secure land and housing for their families.

Balancing disaster prevention with cultural preservation

Landslides have repeatedly threatened lives, homes and livelihoods in the mountainous areas of the Bugisu sub-region, making the relocation of exposed communities an important public safety priority.

The government's new cash-based approach offers an alternative to the challenges of acquiring large resettlement sites, but its effectiveness will depend on proper coordination, public awareness and the ability of beneficiaries to secure suitable land.

For the Bugisu cultural institution, the process must also recognise the role of customary leaders in community mobilisation and the protection of cultural heritage.

Masiga's appeal places consultation at the centre of the relocation debate, with the institution insisting that protecting lives and preserving cultural identity should be pursued together.

The institution says it is ready to support the government in implementing the programme but wants its leadership and clan structures formally involved from the planning stage through sensitisation and relocation.

As the resettlement exercise progresses, engagement between government and the cultural institution could prove important in building public confidence, resolving community concerns and ensuring that vulnerable households move to safer locations without unnecessarily severing their cultural and traditional ties.