Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /usr/www/users/urnnet/a/story.php on line 43 Over 200 Residents Petition Amuru RDC Over Persistent Threats of Eviction :: Uganda Radionetwork
Anjuleta Lalam, a 58-year-old woman and resident of the area, said that she was manipulated to sign an agreement. She says Oyet now forcefully wants to evict her and take control of the 295 acres of land she is living on.
Some of the residents of Kidimon village in Amuru petitioning the Resident District Commissioner over threats of eviction from their land - Photo by Dominic Ochola
Residents of Kidimon village in
Lakang Sub-County in Amuru have petitioned the Resident District Commissioner
over unceasing threats of eviction from their land by dubious land brokers.
In their petition delivered to the
RDC, Geoffrey Oceng Osborn on Tuesday, over 200 distressed landowners claim
that some businessmen backed by influential military officers are threatening
them to evict them from their land measuring 7,000 acres using dubious means.
Michael Adong Oringa, the chairperson of the aggrieved households, said that
the team first approached them in 2018 proposing a joint commercial cassava
growing venture and they offered their land in exchange for free tractor
services.
Oringa cited Martin Oyet, the proprietor of African Garden in Amuru Town Council
who masterminded the project and later convinced six farmers to sign an
agreement. The farmers included Patrick Ocuma, Santo Kadogo, George Loum, Robert Okello
and Jimmy Tooroma.
Oringa disclosed that Oyet convinced the farmers to vacate
their land measuring over 2,500 acres to allow an investor to develop the land but
they registered the proposal.
//Cue in..."Nati moni ka….”
Cue out…en mwa eno.”//
Anjuleta Lalam, a 58-year-old woman and resident of the area, said that she was
manipulated to sign an agreement. She says Oyet now forcefully wants to evict
her and take control of the 295 acres of land she is living on.
//Cue in..."Oyet waco ni ….”
Cue out…ewilo ngom awila.”//
Christopher Oketch, 62, one of the aggrieved landowners revealed to URN that
he has become a victim of the fraudulent land deal. He says Oyet is threatening
to take over his land measuring 221 acres. The families disclosed that Oyet has
been frequenting their area with surveyors, oftentimes accompanied by officers
dressed in army uniform to inspect their land without their involvement.
The area Local Council 1
Chairperson, Justine Oryema Oduka noted that the dubious land dealers first
destabilized his community claiming to own 2,500 acres in the area and later
inflated the figure to 4,200 acres. URN made attempts to reach Oyet on his
known mobile phone to respond to the allegations levelled against him in vain.
The RDC Geoffrey Oceng Osborn, who doubles as the District Security Committee
Chairperson has called for an emergency meeting with the residents at the
disputed land to find an amicable solution to the dispute.
//Cue in..."I am going….”
Cue out…property is intact.”//
The contested land borders the 10,000 hectors acquired by the Ministry of
Lands, Housing and Urban Development for the establishment of a multi-billion
sugar factory by The Madhvani Group of Companies.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
