Bulambuli MP Emmanuel Wepukhulu…Photo/Alex Wekesa
By CG Reporter
The government must move beyond temporary relief and establish a permanent, well-funded disaster management framework for Bugisu, Bulambuli MP-elect Emmanuel Biara Wepukhulu has declared, warning that continued inaction is costing lives every rainy season.
In a hard-hitting and emotionally charged appeal, Wepukhulu said the state must create a special ministry or autonomous authority dedicated to disaster risk management in the Mount Elgon region, backed by science, funding, and real-time response systems.
“This is no longer an emergency — it is a pattern. And patterns require systems, not sympathy,” he said.
📊 The Numbers Behind the Tragedy
The Bugisu sub-region, sitting on the slopes of Mount Elgon, has become one of East Africa’s most dangerous disaster zones:
- The 2010 Bududa landslide in Bududa killed over 300 people and displaced thousands after burying entire villages
- Over the past decade, hundreds of landslides have been recorded across the Mt Elgon region
- In 2018 alone, landslides and floods affected more than 12,000 people and killed dozens
- A 2019 disaster triggered deaths, displacement, and disease outbreaks such as cholera
- In recent years, hundreds of thousands of Ugandans have been affected by climate-related disasters, with Bugisu among the hardest hit
⚠️ A Region Trapped in a Cycle of Disaster
The recurring tragedies have been linked to:
- Heavy and prolonged rainfall
- Deforestation and environmental degradation
- High population pressure on fragile mountain slopes
The consequences have been devastating:
- Entire villages wiped out
- Roads, schools, and health facilities destroyed
- Frequent disease outbreaks due to unsafe water
- Long-term displacement and deepening poverty
In many cases, rescue efforts are delayed or overwhelmed, exposing serious gaps in preparedness and response.
🔥 Wepukhulu’s Bold Proposal
Wepukhulu is now pushing for:
- A special Bugisu Disaster Ministry or Authority
- Permanent resettlement programs for high-risk communities
- Early warning and rapid response systems
- Investment in reforestation and sustainable land use
- Stronger coordination with local leaders
“If regions like Luwero, Karamoja, and Northern Uganda received tailored interventions, why not Bugisu — where people die almost every year?” he posed.
🤝 Unity + Digital Mobilization
Speaking during a prayer breakfast hosted by the Bamasaba cultural leader Jude Mike Mudoma, Wepukhulu also called for unity among the Bamasaba people, saying disunity has slowed development and weakened advocacy.
He revealed plans to:
- Form a Bugisu Parliamentary Caucus
- Use digital platforms like WhatsApp to coordinate leaders
- Build a strong, unified voice to push for government action
