A devastating series of landslides has swept through the mountainous border region of Kenya and Uganda, resulting in the tragic loss of over 40 lives. Families are grappling with immense grief as search and rescue operations continue amidst fears of further disasters due to ongoing heavy rainfall.
Felix Kemboi, a resident of Uganda, shared his profound sorrow, recounting the loss of six relatives. “I lost a grandmother, a maternal aunt, an uncle, two sisters, a family friend and a cousin,” he told the BBC, visibly distressed.
The perilous conditions have prompted warnings from Kenyan Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, who urged residents in the affected areas to exercise extreme caution due to the heightened risk of further earth movements, particularly in the Kerio Valley region. Local authorities are actively involved in relocating those most at risk to safer ground.
In Kenya, the Great Rift Valley region was particularly hard-hit, with the Ministry of Education confirming that fourteen schoolchildren were among the many fatalities. Survivors in eastern Uganda have recounted harrowing experiences. Helda Narunga Masai described the terrifying night when neighbours alerted her to an approaching “mountain,” which tragically claimed the lives of her niece and brother.
Her home in Kween village was destroyed, forcing her to seek refuge with neighbours. In Kapchorwa, a single household lost three children and a woman to the mudslides. Uganda Red Cross workers report at least 18 deaths in the eastern part of the country, with ongoing efforts to locate 20 individuals still missing across the Kapchorwa, Bukwo, and Kween districts. Local leader Mande David Kapcheronge noted that rescue teams are using basic tools to search through the mud.
Experts have long cautioned against building homes in these vulnerable areas, where landslides are a recurring and dangerous threat. A similar disaster in Uganda’s Bududa town in 2010 claimed approximately 300 lives, highlighting the severe consequences of such events.
In response to the latest tragedy, the Ugandan government has pledged financial assistance to bereaved families, offering 5 million shillings (around $1,300 or £1,000) and 1 million shillings to each survivor. The Kenyan government has yet to announce its compensation plans. Access to some areas in Uganda remains challenging due to mudslides blocking roads, impeding rescue efforts.