UGANDA, Luweero | Real Muloodi News | Religious leaders in Luweero have expressed their condemnation of the alarming rate of land grabbing, causing distress among numerous tenants in the area.
Luweero District has reported the highest number of cases of malicious damage to property in 2022, with 172 cases documented in the Police crime report.
Additionally, it ranked third for the highest number of criminal trespass cases, with 191 incidents, all stemming from land disputes.
This year, many tenants have fallen victim to evictions and harassment related to land conflicts.
The most recent incident involved Sheikh Ramadhan Mulindwa, the Luweero District Kadhi, whose demonstration farm was attacked on Saturday night 24th June 2023.
His workers were subjected to violence during a land dispute in Namuningi Village, Kamira Sub-county.
Sheikh Mustapha Khamis Lule, the East Buganda Regional Assistant to the Mufti, also expressed concern over the rampant land grabbing in Luweero District.
While celebrating Eid Al Adha at Kasana Mosque on Wednesday 28th June 2023, he warned that if the government fails to intervene, the situation could escalate into violence and bloodshed.
Lule attributed the land conflicts to the failure of government agencies to enforce land laws and corruption within land offices.
Sheikh Ramadhan Mulindwa emphasised that tenants have been left to suffer as landlords forcefully evict them from their land.
Despite the attack on his farm, the Luweero Police have yet to arrest the landlord responsible for deploying individuals to assault his workers and damage property on the disputed land.
Mulindwa revealed that tenants have lost faith in government institutions, including the Police and Judiciary, and now seek intervention from President Yoweri Museveni.
Ali Ndawula, the Chairperson of the Luwero Muslim District Council, highlighted that land grabbers have also targeted land designated for mosques, impeding expansion and development programs.
Ndawula urged the government to safeguard the people and their land, rather than leaving them at the mercy of opportunistic grabbers.
The plea emphasises the need for effective measures to protect land rights and promote a just and fair system for resolving land disputes in Luweero.
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