Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /usr/www/users/urnnet/a/story.php on line 43 Over 4,000 Residents Living in Fear Over Looming Eviction :: Uganda Radionetwork
Gerald Akugizibwe, the Kisomoro Sub county LC III chairperson says they working tirelessly as local leaders to ensure that no one is evicted. He however, says they are faced with a challenge of established the exact number of affected residents
Kisomoro Primary School is one of the schools that is on the land in question. Residents say it was established in 1920, nine years before the land title was acquired.
More than 4000 residents of three sub counties in Bunyangabu district are living in fear of eviction from their homes. The affected residents are in Kateebwa, Kabonero and Kisomoro Sub counties in Bunyangabu district.
They occupy a piece of land measuring 499.6 acres, which covers Kitumba I, Kutumba II, Nyakasiga, Mugurante, Mitandi, Kibaale, Bugabo, Bugarama and Kyokya villages.
The residents are living in fear of eviction by Mathias Kintu who says the land belonged to his late grandfather, Yohana Maingira who bequeathed it to his late father, Zaveriyo Maingira.
Kintu says his grandfather obtained a freehold title for the said land in 1929. The occupants of the land have dismissed Kintu's claims. Godfrey Peter, a resident of Bugogo, says his late father who died last years aged 80 never paid rent to anybody for the land.
He also explains that all his great grandparents are buried on the same land and wonders how a person with a title of 1929 can claim ownership.
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Cue out… lya Mailo."//
Charles Denis Kasangaki, a resident of Mitandi says the contested land is where he calls home. He says evicting him would render him homeless for his entire life since all his relatives were born and stay on the same land.
Kasangaki warns of likely blood shade should Kintu fail to engage them peacefully.
//Cue in: "Nyowe Nzalirwe mumulembe…
Cue out… ngu itaka lya mailo."//
60-year-old Edison Kaliba, a resident of Bugogo zone also contends his land is customarily owned, saying he will not allow anybody to take it.
He says the Defense and Veterans Affairs Minister who also doubles as the Bunyangabu Member of Parliament; Adolf Mwesige convened a meeting with the affected residents on February 2, 2019 to find a way forward.
He says Mwesige promised to talk to Kintu to allow government to buy the land for the residents.
//Cue in: "Nyowe obundaba nyine…
Cue out… ninyikara nazo? //
Gerald Akugizibwe, the Kisomoro Sub county LC III chairperson says they are working tirelessly as local leaders to ensure that no one is evicted. He however, says they are faced with a challenge of establishing the exact number of affected residents.
//Cue in: "Nobworukugenda mu court…
Cue out… so-called land owner."//
Kintu insists that the land in question belongs to him and wants to use it for business and construct commercial houses. On the proposal to negotiate with government, Kintu says he can only sell part of the land but wants to retain part of it for his own use.
