UGANDA, Hoima | Real Muloodi News | The State House has intervened in the ongoing land dispute in Hoima District, involving the alleged illegal eviction of over 5,000 families from three villages.
The contested land, spanning five square miles, has been the centre of a conflict between residents of Kabatindule in Kisukuma Parish, Hanga, and Lengu villages in Bombo Sub-county, and Kasigwa Byenkya, who claim ownership of the land.
Since 2017, these residents have been embroiled in a dispute with Byenkya, who allegedly obtained a land title in 1986.
According to the affected families, they have occupied the land since the 1940s, and they claim that Byenkya fraudulently acquired the title to evict them.
The residents, led by Godfrey Chomondo, petitioned the legal department of the State House in April 2024, seeking intervention.
They questioned the legitimacy of Byenkya’s title and requested government action to prevent their eviction.
In response, the State House issued a letter dated May 5, 2024, signed by Flora Kincoco, the Principal Private Secretary to the President.
The letter, addressed to the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Hoima, acknowledged receipt of the residents’ petition and scheduled a meeting on June 20, 2024, to discuss the issue.
The letter stated: “The legal department of State House received a petition from Chomondo Godfrey and Mpanga Tadeo petitioning His Excellency the President against illegal eviction from their land. The purpose of this letter is to request you to attend a locus meeting on 20th June at 11:00 a.m. before Counsel Natasha Akatukunda and Counsel Norah Kenyena to discuss the way forward. Kindly carry with you all the necessary documents that will aid in the course of the meeting.”
The letter was also copied to various local officials, including the District Police Commander, District Internal Security Officer, LCV Hoima, GISO Bombo sub-county, the district staff surveyor, and the LC3 Chairperson of Bombo.
Residents expressed relief over the State House’s intervention. Albert Akenda, 60, from Lenju village, said, “I am happy that State House has intervened in this land saga. I was born and raised on this contested piece of land.” Pius Ozeki, another resident, added that they have lived in fear since 2017 and urged the legal department to thoroughly investigate how Byenkya acquired the land title without their consent.
Jackline Kawambe, 70, from Kabatindule village, shared her shock when Byenkya demanded they vacate the land in 2017. She recounted, “I have lived on this land since my childhood. It was shocking when Byenkya raided our area and demanded we leave.”
The situation escalated in 2017 when residents of Lenju LC1 in the Kigorobya sub-county protested the heavy deployment of Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers on their land.
The soldiers blocked residents from accessing their gardens, prompting a night-time protest that led to the soldiers’ withdrawal.
The scheduled meeting on June 20 is expected to address these concerns and determine the next steps. This intervention by the State House is seen as a crucial step toward resolving the long-standing dispute and ensuring that the residents’ rights are protected.
The outcome of the meeting will be closely monitored by both the residents and local authorities, as it could set a precedent for handling similar disputes in the region.
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