HOIMA, January 2, 2025 — State Minister for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja recently ordered the cancellation of a land title that has been causing sleepless nights for residents of Kitoba Town Council in Hoima district.
The residents of two villages, Kyabasegya West and Kyabasegya East, have been in a long-running dispute over land with Eli Bagwa, a businessman from Hoima City and a resident of Duhanga Cell, Hoima City.
The land in question spans over 47.780 hectares and is occupied by more than 500 residents from 70 households. The conflict began in 2010 following the death of Bagwa’s father, the late Byenkya Ezekiel, according to the residents.
Minister Mayanja issued the directive recently during a visit to the affected areas, following an invitation from Kikuube District Resident Commissioner, Amlan Tumusiime and Hoima district officials seeking his intervention in the ongoing suffering of the residents.
The residents informed the minister during the meeting that Bagwa had recently deployed security personnel to their land and illegally evicted them from land they have occupied for decades.
Elia Droku, Chairperson of Kyabasegya West, explained that the situation worsened in April 2022 when Bagwa deployed security officers, including the police, to survey the land.
He noted that Bagwa carried out the survey without consulting the residents or local leaders, and as a result, those who resisted were arrested and detained at Kitoba Police Station.
Droku said the conflict persisted until November 14, 2024, when Bagwa presented a court order demanding that the residents vacate the land.
He added that the residents, who had never been sued in court, refused to comply with the order. When they refused to vacate, Bagwa—whom they accused of influencing security agencies—deployed security and court bailiffs to evict them.
Although the Chief Whip of Bunyoro RDCs, Amlan Tumusiime, intervened and halted the eviction, Bagwa’s agents and the police continued to harass the residents.
Job Mugisa Nabukiisa, one of the affected residents from Kyabasegya and the sub-county chief of Kigorobya, said that the harassment from Bagwa’s agents and the security officers deployed on the land has caused the residents many sleepless nights.
He added that when the residents visited the Hoima District Land Board, they discovered that Bagwa had applied for 20 hectares but had titled 47.780 hectares, converting it from customary to freehold land, which covered the Bibanja [land rights] of the local communities.
Mugisa stated that Bagwa had processed the land title illegally, and all the people whom Bagwa claimed had signed for him on the area land committee report have denied any knowledge of the report or having signed it.
He appealed to the minister to intervene, cancel Bagwa’s land title, and order the police to stop harassing and arresting the residents who, he emphasised, have lived on this land for over 60 years.
Hoima district LCV Chairman Uthman Mubarak Mugisha expressed concern over the growing land conflicts between the poor and the wealthy, blaming police officers whom he accused of being influenced to protect land grabbers instead of upholding the land rights of the poor.
He called for the transfer of some police commanders for their alleged involvement in land evictions and conflicts.
Michael Kyakashari, Hoima District Deputy Resident Commissioner, stated that the security officers deployed in the area had done so illegally, as the district security committee had not authorised it.
He also confirmed that the district security committee was unaware of the court order that Bagwa allegedly used to evict the residents, adding that when they became aware of the eviction, they intervened and stopped it.
In his response, Minister Mayanja ordered the cancellation of Bagwa’s land title and instructed that the residents be allowed to return to their land, as they are protected by law.
He referred to Section 59 [1A] of the Land Act, which prohibits the district land board from granting land that is occupied by people to anyone else.
He further explained that even if the district land board had granted the land to Bagwa, it was done illegally because the land was already occupied by the residents at the time of titling.
Minister Mayanja also ordered the arrest of Bagwa and his agents for trespassing, illegal eviction, and harassment of the residents. He directed that Hoima District Police Commander John Rutagira be transferred for allegedly protecting individuals who are grabbing land from Bibanja holders.
RDC Tumusiime commended the Minister for his timely intervention, adding that the locals had been suffering because they were being treated as if they were not Ugandan citizens. He also called for the deliberate processing of land titles for Bibanja holders to address the ongoing land conflicts between the rich and the poor.
When contacted for comment, Bagwa stated that he is the rightful owner of the land, which he claims was inherited from his late father, Byenkya Ezekiel, who acquired it in 1988 from former Hoima RDC Rusoke.
Bagwa further claimed that the residents had illegally settled on the land and took the matter to Hoima Grade One Magistrate and Chief Magistrate Courts, which ruled in his favour and granted him an order to evict the residents.
However, Elia Droku, the chairperson of Kyabasegya village, dismissed Bagwa’s claims, stating that the nine people Bagwa took to court were not residents of Kyabasegya village.
https://thecooperator.news/minister-mayanja-directs-hoima-sugar-limited-to-compensate-evictees/
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