UGANDA, Amolatar | Real Muloodi News | A land dispute in Amolatar District has escalated, resulting in the burning of several houses and the looting of property worth millions of shillings.
The conflict revolves around a large parcel of land measuring approximately 100 hectares in Bungu Cell, Namasale Town Council.
Allegedly, local leaders are involved in fueling the tensions, which pit a non-native woman, Ms Juliet Katushabe, against some native residents.
On July 17, armed locals took to the streets, reacting to the claim made by Ms Katushabe over ownership of the disputed land.
In a violent demonstration, they set fire to houses and looted properties, causing significant destruction and financial losses to the affected residents.
During the illegal protest, 80-year-old Nekolina Acola had her grass-thatched hut burnt down, and all her 12 goats were killed and thrown into the fire.
Other residents also reported losses, including Mr David Senyonga, who had his refrigerators and television screen destroyed, and Ms Judith Amiro, whose house was forcefully entered and valuable items were stolen.
The claimant, Ms Katushabe, had initially attempted to initiate a dialogue with the affected people through a letter from her legal team based in Kampala.
However, the locals resisted this effort, leading to the violent protest. The North Kyoga region police spokesperson, SP Patrick Jimmy Okema, revealed that the disputed land had remained vacant since a tribal conflict between Bantu and Luo-speaking tribes in 1979.
The District Police Commander of Amolatar and his team promptly responded to the unrest, calming down the situation and engaging with local leaders.
They advised Ms Katushabe and her lawyer to seek legal redress through the courts instead of attempting to resolve the matter on the ground.
Senior police personnel from North Kyoga later visited Namasale Town Council and expressed their disapproval of the destructive actions taken by the community members.
SP Okema condemned the act of lawlessness and assured the affected people that their complaints had been officially recorded.
He pledged that the police, along with other security agencies, would conduct a thorough investigation into the dispute and its violent repercussions.
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