UGANDA, Hoima | Real Muloodi News | Hoima Resident District Commissioner Rodgers Mbabazi has ordered an immediate halt to the surveying of disputed land in Kyamukwenda Parish, Kapapi Sub-county, following mounting concerns from residents over possible evictions.
The directive was issued on Jan. 8, 2026, during a community meeting held at Tuhumwei Village, where residents raised alarm over surveying activities they said were conducted without notice on land they have occupied for decades. The land in question measures 277.418 hectares and spans the villages of Kiryattete, Bulembo and Atuhumwire.
Mbabazi said the land is currently occupied by more than 1,000 residents from over 300 households. He confirmed that land titles for plots 18, 19 and 20 are registered in the name of former minister and deputy prime minister Henry Muganwa Kajura.
The meeting followed a petition from residents accusing agents linked to the Kajura family, accompanied by police officers, of entering the area to conduct a survey, triggering fear of a planned eviction. Reginal Opio, the chairperson of Tuhumwei Village, said the presence of surveyors caused panic among residents who feared displacement.
Opio said the community had lived on the land for more than 40 years and was unaware that it was privately titled. He appealed to government authorities to review and cancel the title to safeguard residents’ rights.
Scovia Achili, a resident and mother of five, said families in the area were living in fear. She called on government to intervene by securing land tenure for occupants through issuance of titles to long-term residents.
Kigorobya County Member of Parliament David Karubanga said consultations with the Commissioner for Lands confirmed the land title is registered in Kajura’s name. He noted that the title was processed in 2010, before current district leaders assumed office, and said he would write to the Minister of Lands seeking guidance on possible redress.
Hoima District Chairperson Uthuman Mugisha Mubarak said similar land disputes exist across the district, involving titles alleged to have been irregularly acquired. He urged residents to remain calm, noting that some titles have already been red-lined and that the law provides protection for lawful bibanja holders.
In response, Mbabazi ordered all surveying activities on the disputed land to cease immediately and assured residents that no evictions would take place. He said the district security committee has launched investigations into how surveying began without clearance from local authorities.
Ratifu Kabuleta, the estate manager for the Kajura family, said the land title was lawfully acquired and that the intention was to establish boundaries, not to evict occupants. He acknowledged an oversight in opening boundaries on plot 18 without notifying district authorities and said the family remains open to dialogue on coexistence.
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