A photo of Kyakatebe trading center seated on a community’s land being grabbed
By witnessradio.org Team
Kassanda – Uganda – More than 20,000 people from 3 villages in Nalutuntu sub-county in the Kassanda district are on the verge of being illegally evicted from the land they have derived livelihood for decades.
The affected villages include Kyakatebe, Namuganga A and B in Kassanda, a district, recently curved out of Mubende district which is rated as one of the most affected districts with many cases of illegal land evictions.
The land which measures about 628 acres was allegedly fraudulently acquired and targeted by Lieutenant David Kabagambe and one Mohammed Waiswa for a purpose, which is still unknown.
The land grab was discovered when the residents (now the affected persons) moved to the district land office to start a process of acquiring a certificate of land ownership of their land. According to affected residents, officials at the area district land office their land is registered under the names of Lieutenant David Kabagambe and Mohammed Waiswa.
JuliusLwanga, a 43-year-old, one of the affected residents said officials at the district land board blocked their process of acquiring a certificate of land title on grounds that a piece of land cannot have multiple titles.
Gertrude Nanziri, a 72 year and grandparent of 15 children expressed fears of losing 7 acres of land to grabber which has been a source of livelihood and employment for decades.
“I occupied this land in 1965. I don’t have where to go. I lost all my children and am the caretaker of the family. What do they expect me to feed them with,” asked Mrs. Nanziri?
Residents have now tasked the district land board to produce individuals claim to own their land with proof of due diligence to acquire their land.
“If the title shows we are on their land and yet some of us have titles on the same land. This is total land grabbing with impunity which we cannot accept. We are determined as a community to fight for our land,” Said Mr. Mbaziira Godfrey a 52-year-old resident of Namuganga A.
Efforts to talk to Mr. Kabagambe and Waiswa were futile since their known contacts used while acquiring the land could not go through.
