Uganda’s Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, has warned village chairpersons to desist from aiding prevalent cases of land grabbing in their communities.
“I condemn the acts of chairpersons engaging in land grabbing because they were vetted to power to protect your residents,” Minister Nabakooba said during a meeting on September 28.
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She cited the Kiteredde village land dispute in Kakiri town council, Wakiso District, where unknown goons descended on seven acres of land belonging to 80-year-old Mangadalena Nakyazze and sprayed her crops with dangerous chemicals.
The destroyed crops included an acre of cucumber, maize, beans and a cassava plantation. Minister Nabakooba directed the Kakiri Police Division Commander to take the village chairperson to make a police statement.
“Let the chairperson take care of these people in form of food because they have nothing to eat. It is sad that the leaders allowed a section of people to deprive others of their peace through such actions,” she said.
Ms. Nakyazze told the minister that their land issue started during the post-guerrilla war period after President Museveni made his way to State House.
“My father bought this plot (Kibanja) in 1942, and we had a very good cordial relationship with the then landlord, but the current landlords are terrorizing us,” she said.
Ms. Nakyazze revealed that her plot sits on Block 191 on plots 132 and 133 in Busiro County with three landlords, whom she does not know their identities.
“The chairperson told us landlords wanted to do boundary opening on this land, but they had never introduced themselves to us, the bibanja holders, until now,” she added.
The 80-year-old appealed to the government for food relief, noting that she does not even sleep in her house anymore, as goons have promised to raid it.
Mr. Abubaker Siryegaana, a resident of Kiteredde, accused the area chairperson of being the kingpin of land grabbing.
“The chairperson is a land dealer, and once she likes a piece of land, she has to take it by all means. On several occasions, even her vice has been spotted in different land wrangles,” he said.
Ms. Beatrice Nakate, another resident, shared that most areas around Kakiri are dealing with the menace of land grabbers and living in fear of possible evictions.
However, Ms. Katushabe, the village chairperson, denied involvement in any land grabbing cases in Kakiri.
“I am a born of the village, and there is no way I would connive to terrorize my community,” she said.
In response, Minister Nabakooba promised to convene a baraza to educate the communities about their land rights.
“No one should force you; if you do not want your plots taken, stand your ground and defend it,” she said, urging residents to use public offices in the area to have their issues resolved amicably.
