UGANDA, Wakiso | Real Muloodi News | Businessman Hassan Bulwadda, the proprietor of Bulwadda Estate in Kyanja, Wakiso District, has donated five acres of land to over 1000 people evicted from the Lubigi wetland in Wakiso District.
The land is located at Nana-Bulwadda Village, Wattuba Parish, Kikandwa Sub-county in Mityana District.
Mr Bulwadda decided to help after hearing distressing reports of mothers and children crying in the media after their homes were demolished.
“I’m doing this as an individual to save mothers and their children from the current situation they are living in,” Mr Bulwadda said while handing over the land to Nansana Municipality Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Shafic Ali Nsubuga, in the presence of some beneficiaries.
The businessman emphasised his commitment to assisting the evictees, stating, “I’m more into real estate, so I decided to donate part of my Bulwadda estate in Nana Village to put a smile on the faces of these evictees.”
He also pledged to cover all transfer processes for the land titles, saying, “I’m going to pay the lawyer who is going to do the paperwork, and we will make one joint title, but each beneficiary will receive an agreement.”
In addition to the land donation, Mr Bulwadda paid for an excavator to create access routes for the land, helping beneficiaries prepare to start clearing the area.
“I want to make sure at least each of you gets where they call home. If this land is not enough, I will add more,” he said.
He also called on President Museveni and others to join his efforts to support the evictees still stranded in Lubigi.
The evicted individuals come from areas including Ganda-Nasere, Nansana West II A, Masanafu, Nabweru South I, and Nabweru South II.
RDC Nsubuga thanked the businessman and pledged to collaborate with local leaders to facilitate the relocation of the evictees.
He also urged the community to report any further encroachment on the Lubigi wetland, saying, “The President has condemned encroachment on wetlands for long. If you find anyone pouring soil in Lubigi, swiftly run to my office and report them.”
Nsubuga instructed that all evictees with legal documents should be registered and verified by village leaders before being allocated land.
“No person without a document will be given land. Ensure you get all the necessary documents required and take them to your area leaders,” he said.
Local leaders praised Mr Bulwadda for his generosity. Nansana West II A chairperson, Dickson Mayiga, and Nana Village vice chairperson, Robert Kaleebu, both confirmed the authenticity of the donation.
Area councillor Abubakar Batuusa committed to working with the RDC and other leaders to identify the victims and allocate their land.
Among the beneficiaries, Margaret Kyolaba, whose house was demolished, expressed her gratitude, saying, “We thank you for this great work you have done for all of us.”
Nulu Nakaweesa, another evictee, recounted her struggles, noting, “I have now grown old and I can no longer manage to go back and look for money.”
Ruth Namuddu, 69, also thanked Mr Bulwadda for his assistance.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, criticised the forceful evictions carried out by state agencies against residents of the Lubigi wetlands during a plenary session.
She called for a clear explanation from the government regarding what she described as “selective enforcement” in wetland evictions.
Among stated, “Much as we are not supposed to interfere with the enforcement bodies of NEMA, by the time somebody starts construction and settles in a place for years, and NEMA isn’t getting to know that this is a gazetted area, then there is a problem.”
Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, echoed these concerns, pointing out the presence of a police station and a fuel station within the same area that were not demolished.
“People are questioning the double standards. Right in the middle of that area, there is a police station, everything around it has been demolished, except the police station,” Ssenyonyi said.
He added, “Government needs to engage with citizens and help them understand why the double standards.”
Among tasked the government with providing a formal statement on the matter, but the session was adjourned before a response was given.
NEMA officials have been evicting residents they believe are illegally occupying the Lubigi Swamp in Wakiso District for the past two weeks.
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