MPs Demand Clarity on Land Ownership in Elgon Resettlement Plan

What the report says

Members of Parliament from Uganda’s Elgon sub-region pressed government for clarity over a planned resettlement programme for families living in landslide-prone areas. According to Watchdog Uganda, the issue came up during a plenary sitting on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, chaired by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth. Legislators said there was confusion over whether households accepting the proposed Shs18 million package would also lose ownership of the land they leave behind.

Bulambuli County MP Emmanuel Biara said residents had heard conflicting messages about the plan, including reports that land would be allocated to the Uganda Wildlife Authority and that houses of some affected people could be demolished under a Cabinet-backed relocation decision. Elgon North County MP Gerald Nangoli also questioned whether the payment was meant only to support relocation or to act as compensation for surrendering land. MPs argued that affected families need a clear legal explanation before signing consent forms or making decisions that could affect ancestral land rights.

Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi asked for time to examine the concerns and determine whether the land had been legally designated for UWA. The broader issue comes amid recurring displacement risks in eastern Uganda, where landslides have forced authorities to consider moving people from dangerous slopes to safer ground. In this case, lawmakers said clearer communication is needed to avoid confusion and conflict around ownership, compensation and the status of land left behind.