UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | Kasese District is facing complex land conflicts involving multiple parties and overlapping claims. The “Kasese Land Conflicts” are often misrepresented, particularly regarding disputes involving the Basongora community and Kyabatukura cultivators. Clear distinctions between these cases are crucial for achieving lasting solutions.
Background of the Basongora Resettlement
In 2007, the Ugandan government resettled the Basongora pastoralists, a community of approximately 8,000 people and 50,000 cattle, on 15,800 acres of land. This resettlement followed their eviction from Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The allocated lands included: Ibuga Refugee Settlement Scheme (later closed), Ibuga Prison Farm, Mubuku Prison Farm, Hima UPDF Production Farm, Ngando/Kibale National Park and 1,000 acres in Hamukungu (Lake Katwe Sub-County, owned by Prince Jimmy Mugenyi of Tooro Kingdom).
These allocations were the result of an inter-ministerial agreement aimed at addressing the community’s displacement.
According to court rulings, including Civil Suit No. 13/2014, these lands legally belong to the Basongora community, and there is no current litigation challenging their ownership, apart from disputes involving UPDF land in Kayanja village.
The Kyabatukura Dispute
The ongoing Kyabatukura land dispute involves cultivators and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Kyabatukura is managed under the boundaries of Kibale National Park, and its conflict centers on a legal case (HCT-CV-CS-0040/2024). The Basongora resettlement lands are unrelated to this case.
Despite this, reports have surfaced alleging attempts to conflate the Basongora resettlement lands with Kyabatukura, which some claim is now referred to as “Ibuga-Kisanga.” These allegations have sparked concerns within the Basongora community, who view these actions as misleading and unjust.
Concerns Over Recent Surveys
Attempts to survey Basongora resettlement lands under the pretext of resolving the Kyabatukura conflict have alarmed local leaders.
Cooperative society representatives from the Basongora community have voiced concerns about being excluded from consultations. Allegations have been made regarding the involvement of unauthorised individuals, including aides of Maj—Kakooza Mutale, whose actions are perceived as exacerbating tensions.
Basongora leaders maintain that their resettlement lands are not in contention and should not be subject to surveys tied to unrelated disputes. The District Security Committee’s facilitation of these surveys has been criticized for escalating tensions.
RDC Accusations
A November 26 article in Nile Post News, “Kasese locals accuse RDC of aiding land grabbers,” alleged that Kasese Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Joe Walusimbi was aiding land grabbers by opposing surveys in disputed areas.
However, Basongora representatives argue that these accusations fail to consider legal and procedural objections. They emphasize that their resettlement lands are not under dispute and were legally allocated to them in 2007.
Legal Protections for Basongora Lands
The 2014 court ruling reaffirmed the Basongora community’s rights to their resettlement lands and directed the government to survey and formalize these allocations.
Attempts to involve Basongora lands in the Kyabatukura dispute, they argue, disregard this ruling and threaten to undermine the progress made in addressing historical injustices against their community.
Basongora leaders call for respect for established legal rights and community engagement in decision-making processes.
They also advocate for separating the Kyabatukura cultivators’ dispute from their resettlement lands.
“Misrepresentation of these cases only fuels unnecessary conflict,” a Basongora leader stated. “We stand firm in protecting our rightful lands while supporting lawful resolutions for others.”
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