Nabbanja Clarifies Shs18 Million Elgon Relocation Support Is Not Land Compensation

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has emphasized that the Shs18 million financial support being extended to households in the landslide-prone Mount Elgon region is strictly compassionate relief designed to facilitate relocation, rather than compensation for ancestral property.

Speaking amidst mounting concerns from regional leaders and Members of Parliament, Nabbanja explained that the government’s immediate priority is preserving lives by moving vulnerable citizens out of harm’s way. However, lawmakers like Budadiri East MP Julius Nakiyi have questioned whether accepting the uniform cash payout means families must automatically surrender ownership of their land, coffee plantations, and other investments.

Nakiyi argued that relocation support and compensation for compulsory land acquisition should be handled distinctly, noting that Article 26 of the Constitution guarantees fair and adequate compensation for private property. Furthermore, MPs have raised concerns over plans to have vacated lands absorbed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and to demolish homes after payment.

Nabbanja also addressed discrepancies in the beneficiary registers, dismissing earlier estimates of 13,900 households as exaggerated. Door-to-door verification exercises in districts like Namisindwa and Bududa revealed significantly lower numbers of genuinely high-risk households, pointing out that some local leaders had incorrectly registered residents living in safer zones to access government funds.

While the Deputy Attorney General has been asked to review the legal standing of the land transfer plans, the Office of the Prime Minister maintains that the cash-based approach bypasses severe land acquisition hurdles in Bugisu. Beneficiaries have until late 2026 to harvest existing crops before relocation measures are fully enforced. Read more details on the Nile Post.