UGANDA, Kayunga | Real Muloodi News | In an alarming incident that unfolded on Monday, a viral video depicted a group of residents confronting and disarming four uniformed UPDF officers in the picturesque setting of Kayunga District.
The video raised concerns in security circles and captured the essence of an escalating land dispute, one of the many in the region.
The two-minute video, resembling a scene from an action movie, showed determined civilians attempting to seize firearms from the UPDF officers, all the while commanding them to sit down.
At a critical juncture, a resident even ordered the burning of the motorcycles the soldiers had used to reach the contested land.
Remarkably, amidst this hostile encounter, the soldiers managed to remain composed, and the altercation concluded without injuries to anyone involved.
Following the incident, Major Charles Kabona, the spokesperson for the UPDF 1 Infantry Division, issued a statement denouncing the attack on the soldiers by civilians.
“As the soldiers were conducting their routine patrols in the area, they were unexpectedly attacked by one of the local factions,” he explained.
Major Kabona commended the soldiers for maintaining professionalism and refraining from using excessive force despite the humiliation they endured.
“This situation could have taken a tragic turn,” he emphasised. He also disclosed that both the UPDF and the Uganda Police were actively investigating the matter to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable.
The heated altercation took place on Monday afternoon in Kasokwe Village, within the jurisdiction of Galilaaya Sub-County, Kayunga District, over a one-square-mile piece of land.
The dispute revolved around some family members of the late Nathan Mpagi, the father of the Ssabanyala, and the Ssabanyala himself, Major Baker Kimeze.
A faction of Ssabanyala’s siblings alleged that the Ssabanyala had “fraudulently” sold the land to GM Sugar for sugar cultivation in 2018.
In response, the Ssabanyala, through his kingdom’s premier, Mr Martin Ssenkatuuka, refuted the allegations made by his siblings.
He explained that his late father, Mpagi, and the late Adam Kikonyogo, were close friends and owned adjacent pieces of land.
“My family members used to graze cattle on Kikonyogo’s land and cultivate crops without any hindrance because my father was a close friend of Kikonyogo. Even after Kikonyogo passed away, we continued using his land along with my siblings,” the Ssabanyala clarified.
Mr James Murenzi, a manager at GM Sugar, stated that they had purchased the land from an undisclosed landlord.
He also confirmed that the harassed UPDF soldiers had been deployed to safeguard GM properties in the area.
Ms. Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa regional police spokesperson, confirmed that no arrests had been made at the time of reporting. The investigations were ongoing.
Local councillor Mr Joel Kayiira, representing Galilaaya Sub-County, shed light on the deteriorating situation. He noted that land disputes in the area had surged since the introduction of sugar cane cultivation, signalling the pressing need for a resolution to these escalating conflicts.
As investigations unfold, residents and security forces are emphasising the importance of dialogue and conflict resolution in the face of such disputes.
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