Ugandan landslide survivors renew legal battle after five-year delay

Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandan landslide survivors’ long wait for justice has taken a new turn as 48 claimants returned to the Mbale High Court today (Oct.23), reigniting a case that has been stalled for nearly five years. The hearing comes just weeks before the region is expected to face its heaviest rains of the year, heightening fears of another disaster.

The case stems from a devastating landslide in December 2019 that killed dozens of people in the Bududa District, eastern Uganda. In 2020, survivors, supported by environmental organization Greenwatch and Kakuru & Co Advocates, sued the government, arguing that it had failed to establish effective disaster management systems in violation of the Constitution and other laws. They are demanding compensation for bereaved families and the establishment of emergency systems in high-risk zones.

Proceedings were halted for years due to a procedural technicality but are now being revived, just a year after a similar tragedy in Bulambuli District claimed dozens of lives. If the court allows the case to proceed, it will begin a full examination of the survivors’ arguments.

Greenwatch Director Samantha Atukunda Kakuru Mwesigwa described the hearing as a critical moment. “Almost five years after the launch of this case, these claimants have not wavered in their fight for justice,” she said. “Without proper finance and adaptation measures, communities across eastern Uganda live in constant fear of tragedy. This case has never been more important.”

Eastern Uganda’s landslide problem has persisted for decades, worsening with intensifying rainfall linked to climate change. The government introduced a resettlement plan in 2010 to move residents from high-risk zones within ten years, but implementation has been slow. Many residents remain in danger, with only a fraction successfully relocated. Some who were moved have raised concerns over the suitability of resettlement areas, particularly for farming.

In Bulambuli last year, a landslide triggered by heavy rains killed 15 people and left 113 missing, while 40 houses were destroyed. The military was deployed to assist with recovery efforts. The incident underscored the continuing vulnerability of mountain communities in Uganda’s east.

The threat extends beyond Uganda. Across Africa, climate change-fueled landslides and flooding are becoming increasingly common. Last month, heavy rains in Sudan killed hundreds, worsening the country’s humanitarian crisis.

UNICEF reported that nearly one million people in Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania, and Somalia were affected by floods and landslides in May 2024.

As the Mbale High Court reopens this landmark case, the survivors’ renewed push for accountability could set a precedent for climate-related justice in Uganda and the region. Their demand is simple: that the government takes meaningful steps to protect communities before nature strikes again.