By Witness Radio team.
Unknown people have kidnapped a Kawaala community land rights defender Paul Kasozi Sengendo, family members have confirmed.
Ssengendo, a community land rights defender in Kawaala Zone II, Rubaga division in Kampala district has been mobilizing his community to resist an illegal eviction by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) implementing a project financed by World Bank.
In 2015, KCCA acquired USD 175 million loan from the World Bank and the International Development Association (IDA) for Kampala Institution and Infrastructure Development (KIIDP) project. However, part of the money (USD 17.5 million, which is 63 billion Uganda shillings) was earmarked to construct Lubigi Primary Channel.
According to his family members, the defender was kidnapped from Old Kampala Regional police headquarters where he had gone to report for his bond.
“We were called by someone and told us that Mzee (Mr. Kasozi) has been taken, and the then she hanged up. We rushed to old Kampala police as his programme today was reporting for bond, but we did not find him there. When we inquired from police, they told us to wait. However, by now, what I can confirm to you is that I don’t know where his Whereabouts.” A family member narrated to Witness Radio team.
In July 2022, Police at Old Kampala Regional Police Headquarter arrested three community land rights defenders including; Kasozi Paul, Busobolwa Adam, and Kabugo Micheal from Kawaala Zone II, Rubaga division and preferred a fraud charge against them.
They were released on police bond and since last year, they have been reporting for bonds.
Since the first COVID outbreak in 2020, the victim defenders and others have been leading a pushback campaign to resist an illegal eviction by KCCA.
Witness Radio believes this is a retaliation following Ssengendo and other people’s involvement in resisting an eviction.
Witness Radio has dispatched a legal team to search for his whereabouts.
Witness Radio will keep you posted on the outcome.
