The prayers, held at Masugu Primary School in Masugu Village, Buluganya Sub-county, were led by Christopher Emuseef, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Tororo.
Residents, religious leaders, and local officials in Bulambuli District gathered on Sunday for an ecumenical prayer service to honor those who perished in the Buluganya landslides. The prayers, held at Masugu Primary School in Masugu Village, Buluganya Sub-county, were led by Christopher Emuseef, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Tororo.
Elgon County MP Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy that struck on November 27, 2024 and confirmed that 49 bodies have been recovered so far, though many more remain missing. “Masugu Village was the hardest hit. As a community, we are still in shock and struggling to come to terms with this disaster,” Mudimi said.
He thanked the government, particularly the Office of the Prime Minister, for deploying two excavators to assist in body recovery efforts but urged authorities to speed up the relocation process for survivors. Mudimi warned that with the rainy season returning soon, displaced residents remain stranded and vulnerable. He appealed to the government to fast-track resettlement and allocate two acres of land per affected family.
According to him, at least 1,320 people need urgent relocation. Some survivors have been moved to Bunambutye Resettlement Camp, while others are staying with relatives or camping near the landslide site, hoping to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones.
"We have agreed with the government to prioritize repairing Malemu Bridge and the road leading to Buluganya, which has been completely cut off. Essential goods are scarce, and prices have doubled, worsening the suffering of those who have already lost everything,” Mudimi added.
Buluganya Sub-county LCIII Chairperson Namukono Richard revealed that 111 people were lost in the landslide, yet only 49 bodies have been recovered. He urged the government to extend search operations for another month to allow families to locate and bury their loved ones.
Masugu Village’s acting chairman, Manana Pascal, who lost 20 family members in the disaster, emphasized the devastation of livelihoods, saying coffee, banana plantations, onions, and livestock farming were all wiped out.
“People here are suffering greatly. We need financial support, including access to programs like PDM, to help us rebuild our lives,” Manana pleaded. Bugisu Intellectuals’ representative, Milton Wetaka, acknowledged MP Mudimi’s role in organizing prayers and offering support to survivors.
Meanwhile, survivor Nakayenze Constance, currently at Bunambutye Resettlement Camp, spoke of the lasting pain and loss.“I lost all my relatives, including my children. The government has tried to recover the bodies, but many remain buried underground. We are praying for their souls to rest in peace,” she said. As the community continues mourning, survivors are making a desperate plea for an extension of search and recovery operations, hoping to retrieve their loved ones for a proper burial.
Weswa Ronnie
Freelancer