Politics 5 November 2026 Parliament of Uganda
MPs Demand Clarity on Elgon Land Resettlement and Rising Cost of Living
Members of Parliament from the Elgon sub-region have urged the government to clarify whether families relocating from landslide-prone areas will forfeit their ancestral land after accepting a Shs18 million resettlement package. During the same parliamentary sitting, legislators also pressed the government over soaring food prices and transport fares. Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/index.php/news/4701/mps-seek-clarity-elgon-resettlement
Lawmakers representing the Elgon sub-region have pressed the government for definitive answers regarding the ownership status of land left behind by families fleeing landslide-prone areas. The concerns were raised during a plenary sitting chaired by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth.
Hon. Emmanuel Biara, the MP for Bulambuli County, voiced apprehension over reports that land vacated by residents is being handed over to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). He also pointed to directives allegedly issued by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, acting on a Cabinet resolution, ordering the demolition of houses belonging to residents slated for relocation.
Echoing similar sentiments, Elgon North County MP Hon. Gerald Nangoli questioned whether the Shs18 million financial package is intended to assist families in establishing new livelihoods elsewhere or serves as total compensation for the permanent loss of their land. According to Nangoli, officials from the Office of the Prime Minister have informed locals that signing consent forms for the resettlement package effectively strips them of their land rights.
In response to the appeals, Deputy Attorney General Hon. Jackson Kafuuzi requested additional time to thoroughly review the concerns and ascertain whether the contested land has been officially and legally designated for UWA conservation.
Beyond the Elgon resettlement issue, parliamentarians shifted focus to the surging cost of living affecting citizens nationwide. MPs highlighted sharp increases in essential commodities, such as beans and wheat flour, alongside escalating transport fares driven by recent hikes within the bus sector.
Addressing the economic pressures, Ntungamo Municipality MP Hon. Gerald Karuhanga queried why the government has hesitated to adopt a Bank of Uganda proposal recommending the utilization of foreign currency reserves to stabilize the economy. However, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Hon. Henry Musasizi attributed the inflationary trends to severe droughts over the preceding four months and external fuel crises, while maintaining opposition to drawing on foreign reserves to fix exchange rate challenges.
Read the full report on the Parliament of Uganda.