UGANDA, Hoima | Real Muloodi News | The police are investigating the murder of two people during a land dispute in Hoima, Rwobunyinyi, Kirindasojo, and Kihohoro villages, Buraru Sub-county.
The deceased have been identified as Frank Asaba, 40, and Sam Kokonza, 50, both residents of the same area. Asaba was the manager of the land belonging to tycoon Fred Mugamba, while Kokonza was a casual worker on the same land.
The conflict centres around land measuring over 800 acres, covering three villages including Rwobunyinyi, that Mugamba claims ownership of.
The residents have been fighting with Fred Mugamba, a tycoon in Hoima City over the ownership of the land since 2018, when he started opening the boundary, claiming he had a land title.
The angry residents lynched Frank Musabe and Sam Kakooza on Monday evening 20th of February accusing them of collaborating with Mugamba who wants to grab their land.
The residents insist that Mugamba acquired the title illegally.
Last year, the conflict resumed after Mugamba took some workers to clear the land, leading to several people being arrested and others threatened with arrest.
On 20th February 2023, Monday afternoon, an unknown resident attacked Asaba and Kokonza while they were on the disputed land, hacking them to death on the spot.
Police responded to the scene and retrieved the bodies, which are being kept at the police morgue. No arrests were made, but police have launched an investigation and are searching for those involved.
Buraru LC3 Chairperson Robert Mwanga condemned the killings, stating that the residents should have sought legal redress instead of taking the law into their own hands.
Mwanga blamed the landlord for the incident, accusing Mugamba’s agents of invading and destroying people’s gardens. He cited a recent incident where angry residents attacked and burned a vehicle belonging to a group of people moving around the disputed land.
The conflict over land in Hoima has become increasingly violent in recent years, with several people losing their lives or being injured in disputes. The authorities have been called upon to intervene and resolve the matter.
READ MORE LIKE THIS:
11 People Arrested During Harsh Hoima Eviction, Leaders Demand Their Release
127 People Displaced by Oil Refinery in Hoima Receive Land Titles
