UGANDA, Nakasongola | Real Muloodi News | Over 4,000 residents residing in a five square mile area of public land in Lwabyata Sub-county, Nakasongola District, are facing the threat of eviction, with various communities affected, including Kikooge, Katuba, Kalaala, Wangoma, Kikuuta, and Ndaiga.
The situation has escalated to the extent that institutions such as Kikooge R/C Primary School and Kikooge Health Centre II have already encountered losses, with portions of their land fenced off and school gardens destroyed.
According to Mr Noor Ssenozi, the chairperson of Kikooge Village, the landlord identified as Mr Jotham Mafende is allegedly using armed guards to intimidate residents, leading to heightened tensions in the area.
Ssenozi highlighted instances of fenced-off gardens, demolished homes, and the eviction of government institutions, calling for urgent intervention from government officials.
The chairperson of the Kikooge R/C Primary School management committee, Mr Robert Kato Lugemwa, expressed concern over the safety of students, noting a significant decline in enrollment due to parents withdrawing their children from school amid fears of violence perpetrated by armed security guards allegedly hired by the landlord.
Lugemwa emphasised the adverse impact on the school’s operations and the community’s education sector as a whole.
Sub-county councillor Ms Mary Nabatanzi emphasised the significance of Kikooge R/C Primary School as the only government school in Kikooge Parish, underscoring the urgent need to safeguard its operations and prevent further disruption.
Farm owner Mr David Maiso Bakoba reported incidents of land encroachment, resulting in substantial losses of livestock and property.
Despite attempts to seek legal recourse, residents have encountered challenges in addressing their complaints, with instances of intimidation and threats by armed guards complicating the situation further.
Nakasongola District Chairperson Mr. Sam Kigula reiterated the district’s efforts to address the issue, including summoning Mr. Mafende, albeit without success.
Kigula emphasised the urgency of government intervention and the necessity of deploying resources such as the Land Fund to mitigate the plight of affected residents and safeguard public institutions facing eviction threats.
Efforts to obtain a response from Mr Mafende were unsuccessful, but a manager at his farm, Mr Moses Kalega, reiterated the landlord’s legal ownership of the land and warned of impending evictions for those unwilling to comply with negotiations.
District officials in Nakasongola highlighted the prevalence of squatters on land owned by absentee landlords, with many residents occupying public land under lease agreements, underscoring the complex nature of land ownership and usage in the region.
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