Relief As Nabakooba Directs On Contested Kyegegwa Lands

Residents of Migongwe Sub-county in Kyegegwa District have gotten some relief after lands minister, Judith Nabakooba, on July 23 intervened in their land issues in a meeting with locals at Bulingo village.

In the meeting, Migongwe chairperson, Mr Julius Tumukunde told the minister that residents from four parishes (Kigorani, Migongwe, Mujwambura and Kisoira) in Kyegegwa District and some parts of Kyenjojo District were living in threat of eviction.

“In some of those areas, matters proceeded to court but the ruling was in favour of other parties, leaving our locals with eviction signals,” Mr Tumukunde said.

He revealed that in Kigorani Parish alone, a lady identified as Dorothy Mwirumubi Baguma conducted boundary opening on their land, and the survey report produced overlapping plots.

The land was formerly in the name of a cooperative company called Mawino which she owned with her late husband, Crescent Mwirumubi Baguma, but later made transfers to her name.
“She used the land title as collateral security to acquire a bank loan yet the land covers about 2000 households in Kyegegwa and Kyenjojo Districts,” the chairperson said.

Despite convening a meeting in 2022 with the owner of the land title (Dorothy Baguma) and agreeing to cancel the title or correct the errors, nothing was done.
Migongwe Parish is another spot with a land wrangle between locals and the National Forestry Authority (NFA), where 90 homes are affected in Kyakabamba and Kijaara villages.

The issue started in 2013 and matters were taken to court which took five years to rule. The magistrate court ruled in favour of the majority of people, but NFA proceeded with the matter to the court of appeal.
“Court had ordered NFA to compensate residents, which was done up to 40 percent and complainants were told to go back and use their land,” Mr Tumukunde said.
He adds that they were however surprised that NFA was later declared winner in the court of appeal even before paying the remaining 60 percent.

“This ruling was challenged by residents in the Supreme Court but surprisingly, before making a final ruling, NFA keeps on coming and taking people’s properties,” he told the minister.
Mr Tumukunde said even in Kisoira Parish, NFA chased residents from their land without proper explanations and now people are displaced.

In Mujwambura Parish, at least five villages are affected with 30 households involved. The Ministry of Lands wrote to the village chairpersons requesting to open up boundaries which the sub-county chairperson denied.
“I ordered them not to allow the surveying team to go ahead until they produce land titles on the land,” he said, asking the minister to rescue the situation.

In her response, Nabakooba gave hope to the affected communities and directed the surveyor to work with the district security committee led by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) to open boundaries on the land.
“After organising yourselves and setting the day when this exercise will kick off, I expect a report in one week to establish exact facts on this land,” she said.

The minister told the residents that President Museveni issued a directive to all RDCs and Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) across the country that no one should evict people.
She cited Article 237 of the I995 Ugandan Constitution that gives powers over ownership of land to the citizens.

“I have been informed some people have been doing boundary opening on your land but the reports produced don’t mean you are going to be chased from your land. As long as President Museveni is still here, no one can evict you,” Ms Nabakooba assured locals.
She encouraged people to always channel their land issues through the local leaders to enable the ministry to solve their issues amicably.

Leaders were also urged to ensure they are on the ground when boundary opening starts to guarantee transparency.
“Give us some time we do boundary opening to know the size each person owns and after we shall help you to apply and get yourself land titles. The report that will be produced by the surveyor, will guide on the way forward.”

Deputy Attorney General of Uganda, Jackson Kafuuzi, who doubles as Kyaka South County Constituency representative in parliament, told the residents that the Land Act protects them and they should be assured the issues will be resolved.

“Ugandan law indicates that if someone stays on the land for more than 12 years, they are ably protected and cannot be chased,” he said.