Acute water shortage is threatening the lives of landslide victims resettled by the government in Bunambutye Resettlement Area, Bulambuli District, after all three boreholes serving Phase 5 dried up. The affected families, who were relocated from Lutsekhe Sub-county in Bududa District and Namisuni Sub-county in Bulambuli District, say they are now forced to walk more than 10 kilometres to access water from residents in Phase 1 of the resettlement area.
The victims were speaking during a visit to the area by Bulambuli Woman Member of Parliament Sarah Nambozo Wekomba on Friday. They said the lack of water has made life difficult, with some threatening to return to their original homes despite the risks that forced their relocation. Joseph Kutosi, the Chairperson of Kata Camp in Phase 5, said the government provided three boreholes for the community, but all have since dried up due to the prolonged dry season.
“Because the area is dry during this season, we have to walk over 10 kilometres to get water from our colleagues in Phase 1,” Kutosi said. Peter Wapolo, another resident, said the shortage has also triggered family conflicts, as women spend long hours away from home searching for water. The families were relocated to Bunambutye Resettlement Area on August 24, 2024, with 248 victims from Bududa and 24 from Bulambuli, bringing the total number of relocated people to 272.
Besides the water crisis, the victims cited a lack of basic infrastructure, including roads, schools, and health facilities, saying they have struggled to access essential services for the two years they have lived in the area. “It’s hard in this era to stay alive without infrastructure, yet we have school-going children,” the victims said. They warned that continued challenges could force them to return to their former communities.
Responding to the concerns, Bulambuli Woman MP Sarah Nambozo Wekomba pledged to present the issues to relevant government authorities for intervention. She, however, urged the victims not to return to their former areas, saying the resettlement was created to protect their lives from landslide risks and expressed confidence that their concerns would be addressed-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
