NEWS- Residents and local leaders in Bulambuli District gathered for an ecumenical prayer service alongside their area MP, Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi, to honor those who perished in the recent Buluganya landslides.
The prayers were held on Saturday at Masugu Primary School in Masugu Village Buluganya sub county, as the community continue mourning the devastating impact of the disaster that struck on November 27, 2024.
The joint service were conducted by Msgr Christopher Emuseef, Vicar general of the Archdiocese of Tororo.
Speaking to Bugisu intellectual forum, Mudimi the MP for Elgon county, expressed the community’s sorrow and the ongoing search for missing persons.
“This Masugu Village was the hardest hit. So far, we have recovered 49 bodies, but many are still missing. As a community, we are in shock and have not yet recovered from this tragedy,” he said.
Mudimi thanked the government, particularly the Office of the Prime Minister, for deploying two excavators, which have assisted in body recovery efforts. However, he urged authorities to accelerate the resettlement process for survivors.
“My biggest concern is that the rains are returning soon, and people are still stranded. I appeal to the government to expedite relocation process and provide each affected family with the two acres of land for resettlement,” he said.
Buluganya consists of five sub-counties, and according to Mudimi, at least 1,320 people need urgent relocation. While some survivors have been moved to the Bunambutye Resettlement Camp, many remain with relatives or near the landslide site, hoping to recover the bodies of their loved ones.
“We have agreed with the government to prioritize repairing Malemu Bridge and the road leading to Buluganya are completely cut off from the rest of Bulambuli. The prices of essential goods have doubled here, adding to the suffering of people who have already lost everything,” Mudimi added.
Namukono Richard, LCIII Chairperson of Buluganya Sub-county said, We lost 111 people, but so far, we have recovered only 49 bodies. The remaining 66 are still missing. We appeal to the government to speed up the resettlement process.
He also urged the government to extend search operations for another month, allowing families to retrieve and properly bury their loved ones.
Manana Pascal, the acting chairman of Masugu Village noted that the chairman perished in the landslide, and I lost 20 family members. People here are suffering greatly. This was an agricultural area with coffee, banana plantations, onions, and livestock farming all of which were wiped out.
We urge the government to provide additional financial support like PDM to help us rebuild our lives,” he said.
In an interview with Bugisu Intellectuals, Wetaka Milton, the district councillor representing the people of Buginyanya Sub-county, noted that they had gathered as the people of Bulambuli to pray for the souls of those who perished in the tragedy.
He also appreciated MP Mudimi for his support in organizing the prayers for his voters, asking God to grant them eternal life.
Nakayenze Constance a survivor from Bunambutye Resettlement Camp, informed Bugisu intellectual that the lasting pain and struggles they continue to endure.
“I lost all my relatives, including my children. The government has tried to recover the bodies, but many are still buried underground. We are praying for their souls to rest in peace,” she said.
In a desperate plea for more time, survivors of the catastrophic landslide are appealing to the government to extend the ongoing search and recovery operations for victims, holding onto hope of recovering their loved ones, whom they believe are still buried under the mud, so they can be given a proper burial.
