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Landslides in Bududa District, Uganda, pose a persistent threat, with existing
mitigation and early warning systems proving largely ineffective. This paper
investigates the limitations of these approaches, focusing on the critical gaps in
risk communication, underutilization of local indigenous knowledge, and lack of
community trust that undermine current systems. Using a mixed-methods approach,
qualitative data were collected through Focus Group Discussions, interviews,
documentary reviews, and observations, which informed quantitative data gathered
via survey questionnaires. The study had sample size of 199 participants, generated
using Slovin’s formula (1960), including 12 key informants. The findings revealed
that current technology-based solutions are unreliable, while traditional methods
are inefficient and lack comprehensive coverage. A central finding is the threatening
disconnect between formal, top-down disaster management and the community’s
valuable local knowledge. The paper argues that current systems, which often focus
narrowly on rainfall, fail to account for the complex, multi-causal nature of landslides
and do not integrate with trusted community communication channels. Therefore,
to genuinely enhance landslide risk reduction, Bududa District should adopt a
customized, integrated, and holistic early warning system that seamlessly combines
the precision of modern technology with the proven strength of local wisdom. By
creating a system that is maintained, trusted, and co-managed by the community,
it becomes possible to bridge the existing gaps, providing timely, accurate, and
actionable alerts to save lives and mitigate the devastating impact of future
landslides
Keywords Landslide early warning, Community risk knowledge, Participatory
monitoring, Bududa district, Uganda