UGANDA, Hoima | Real Muloodi News | Leaders in Bunyoro are calling on the government to prioritise addressing the persistent issue of land evictions and grabbing in 2025.
According to regional officials, the lack of an effective land management system has left many families vulnerable to forced evictions, often carried out by individuals allegedly acquiring land titles fraudulently.
David Karubanga, the Member of Parliament for Kigorobya County in Hoima District, highlighted the severity of the situation.
“Hundreds of people in my constituency were evicted from their ancestral land between 2019 and 2024. These families are still languishing in poverty without assistance,” Karubanga said.
He emphasised the need for the government to find a lasting solution to what he described as Bunyoro’s enduring land question.
The discovery of oil and gas in the Bunyoro Sub-region has been a catalyst for escalating land disputes. Local leaders and residents argue that land evictions have intensified since the discovery.
Joseph Kyamanywa, a resident of Buhirigi Village in Hoima District, noted, “Before the oil discovery, land evictions were unheard of in Bunyoro.”
Many residents believe the oil boom has attracted land speculators and individuals with connections to powerful entities, leading to fraudulent land acquisitions.
Pius Wakabi, the Member of Parliament for Bugahya County, stated that numerous land titles in his constituency were obtained illegally.
“Thousands of people in Buseruka, Buraru, Kabaale, and Kyabigambire sub-counties are on the brink of eviction due to fraudulently acquired land titles,” Wakabi said.
Vincent Alpha Opio, the Vice Chairperson of Kikuube District, also expressed concern about influential individuals obtaining land titles without the knowledge or consent of local leaders.
“If the land issue is not thoroughly investigated and addressed, many people in Bunyoro could become landless,” Opio warned.
To address the crisis, several leaders have proposed issuing free land titles to residents of Bunyoro. Allan Atugonza, the Member of Parliament for Buliisa County, argued that this measure would safeguard locals from land grabbers.
“People in Bunyoro have suffered enough. Providing free land titles would give them legal protection and ensure peace in the region,” Atugonza said.
Residents are also appealing for special attention from the government to address the unique challenges facing Bunyoro. Simon Agaba Kinene, a resident of Buliisa, urged the government to act decisively.
“We need affirmative action to ensure locals can live peacefully on their ancestral land,” Kinene stated.
The issue of Bunyoro land evictions is not new. Several high-profile cases have brought national attention to the crisis.
In February 2019, over 500 families were forcefully evicted from Kyabisagazi 1 and Kyabisagazi 2 villages in the Kigorobya Sub-county, Hoima District.
The evictions, carried out by armed individuals in uniforms resembling those of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and anti-riot police, resulted in the deaths of four toddlers.
The families, who had occupied the contested 485-acre land for decades, were accused of subversive activities. However, what began as a purported security operation turned into a mass eviction.
The disputed land was claimed by businessman Edgar Agaba, but the evicted families claim that it was their ancestral land.
To date, these families remain displaced, with many relying on relatives for shelter. Despite promises of intervention, no significant government assistance has been provided to the affected individuals.
More recently, over 2,000 families in Hoima District are at risk of eviction from land in Rwobunyonyi, Kirindasojo, and Kihohoro villages in Buraru Sub-county. The contested 810-hectare land is claimed by Fred Mugamba, a businessman in Hoima City.
Residents allege that Mugamba has destroyed their crops and burned their homes, despite their claims of living on the land since the 1940s.
The government has acknowledged the issue of land evictions in Bunyoro but has yet to implement significant measures to address it.
During a visit to the region in January 2022, President Yoweri Museveni directed Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to investigate the escalating land disputes and provide a report.
“The land grabbers must be dealt with once and for all,” Museveni stated.
However, residents and local leaders say this has been done to resolve the matter.
As 2025 approaches, leaders in Bunyoro are urging the government to prioritise the region’s land issues as part of its agenda. They emphasise the need for robust land management systems, legal protections for landowners, and stricter enforcement against fraudulent title acquisitions.
Atugonza noted, “The government must act now to protect the people of Bunyoro and their land before the situation becomes irreversible.”
The consequences of land evictions in Bunyoro are far-reaching. Displaced families often face poverty, homelessness, and loss of livelihood. Many evictees live in temporary shelters or depend on relatives for support, unable to reclaim their ancestral land.
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