UGANDA, Buliisa | Real Muloodi News | Mr. Hanington Rugongeza, the Internal Security Officer (GISO) for Butiaba Town Council in Buliisa District, was arrested in the first week of August 2024 , following allegations of involvement in land grabbing.
The arrest was ordered by the State Minister for Lands, Mr Sam Mayanja, during an intervention in a land dispute involving residents of Booma Wantembo Village and businessman Franco Kaahwa.
The conflict concerns 1,700 acres of land in Booma Wantembo Cell, which residents claim was titled by Mr Kaahwa without their knowledge. The residents allege that Mr Kaahwa is attempting to evict them from the land.
Ms. Fiona Barungi, the Presidential Assistant on Special Duties, along with local leaders, accused Mr. Rugongeza of siding with land grabbers and intimidating the residents.
They urged the Minister to take immediate action. “Upon your permission, Honorable Minister, due to the tears I have witnessed from the elderly, I request that the GISO be arrested,” Ms Barungi stated.
In response, Minister Mayanja ordered the District Police Commander (DPC) of Buliisa, Mr Chrysostom Mwawule, to arrest Mr Rugongeza.
He was subsequently detained and taken to Buliisa Central Police Station.
“The law states that anyone who abets or aids another in committing a crime commits an offence; therefore, the DPC should arrest this man immediately,” Mr Mayanja declared.
The Minister also instructed Buliisa Police to arrest Mr Kaahwa for allegedly conducting illegal evictions, threatening violence, trespassing, and causing malicious property damage.
He emphasized that there is substantial evidence against Mr. Kaahwa, justifying his arrest and prosecution.
“Kaahwa must be arrested for illegally evicting people from their land and threatening violence,” Mr Mayanja stressed.
In a phone interview, Mr. Kaahwa denied the accusations, stating, “These are false allegations by residents. I have not fenced off any land nor evicted anyone. There is no evidence that I am grabbing land or committing any offense.”
Local leaders, including Mr Deo Ntakimanye, the LC1 Chairperson of Booma Wantembo, and Mr Simon Agaba Kinene, who presented a petition to the Minister on behalf of the residents, expressed concerns that locals are living in fear of eviction by land grabbers.
They noted that the issue has escalated following the discovery of oil and gas in the Albertine region.
“Residents are losing sleep over the threat of eviction by tycoons who obtained titles to their land illegally,” they revealed.
Following the events in Buliisa, Minister Mayanja proceeded to Kikuube Town Council, where he met with residents of Kasonga Parish who were evicted in 2013 by the Office of the Prime Minister.
The eviction was due to accusations that the residents were illegally settling on Kyangwali Refugee Settlement land in Kikuube District.
The affected residents are currently living in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Kikuube Town Council.
Mr James Sanyu, the LC2 Chairperson of Kasonga Parish, informed the Minister about the ongoing hardships faced by the evictees since the eviction.
“Our children are no longer attending school; we lack healthcare, and mothers are delivering in the bush,” he lamented.
Mr Amlan Tumusiime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC), acknowledged that the situation has persisted for too long and requires a lasting solution.
“This matter has gone on for too long; we need a permanent resolution to either return residents to their land or find them a suitable relocation,” he said.
Minister Mayanja advised the leadership of Kikuube District to prepare a memorandum detailing their concerns and submit it to his office for presentation to the President.
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