By Witness Radio Team
Police has arrested Mr. Kabugo Micheal, a community land rights defender of Kawaala Zone II in the wee hours of the morning.
Mr. Kabugo Micheal, a community land rights defender in Kawaala Zone II, Rubaga Division in the City of Kampala 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 175.5 million loan from the World Bank and the International Development Association (IDA) to finance Kampala Institution and Infrastructure Development (KIIDP) project. Part of the money (USD 17.5 million, which is 63 billion Uganda shillings) was earmarked to construct Lubigi Primary Channel which is negatively impacting the local communities.
In not less than a week, police have arrested three projects affected persons (PAPs) of Kawaala Zone II including two community land rights defenders.
Mr. Kasozi Paul Sengendo, a community land rights defender, and Mr. Sserugo Charles, a project-affected person, were arrested on Wednesday 16th February 2023 and detained at Old Kampala Police Station and later arraigned before the Mwanga II Magistrate Court where they were charged with fraud and obtaining money by false pretense. Kabugo’s arrest is the latest.
According to Kabugo’s family members, two-armed anti-riot police accompanied by the Kasubi Parish Local Council II Chairperson, Mr. Tamale Peter, and a one Mr. Ssenyonga Sulaiman raided the defender’s home in Nabweru village in Kawempe Division at 5:00 a.m. EAT, a jumped over his fence and arrested the defender.
“At around 5:00 am, we heard footsteps moving around our house but we did not notice their intentions. Shortly, we then heard people climbing over our fence and accessed our compound. They immediately demanded that we open our doors. When we opened, the police informed Mr. Kabugo that he is being taken for interrogation. Asking what he had committed, Mr. Ssenyonga said he received compensation for land that does not belong to him. They handcuffed him and forced him to sit on a waiting boda-boda (motorcycle) and later rode him to Nabweru police.” A source from his family member revealed.
A person who preferred anonymity for fear of reprisal revealed that a one Ssenyonga Sulaiman is conniving with police and area leaders to grab belonging to a beneficiary of the project. “He said he will do whatever it takes to grab our land because he is backed by powerful people. He claims ownership of our land.” A member of Kabugo’s family added. We tried to reach Sulaiman on his known contacts for a comment but in vain.
Lawyers representing the community described the escalating arrests as a move targeted to eliminate the vocal community defenders mobilizing their fellow communities to resist landgrab by KCCA implementing a World Bank-funded project.
“We condemn the illegal arrests of community land rights defenders of Kawaala Zone II who among others include Mr. Kabugo. This is the third time he has been arrested for defending his community of over 300 people whose land is to be used for the Lubigi drainage project. We believe these continued illegal arrests are retaliations arising from his work of defending the poor community.” His lawyer told Witness Radio.
Mr. Kabugo was first arrested on 18 July, 2022 together with three other land defenders and charged with fraud. Police at Old Kampala Regional Police Headquarters 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.
On 31 October, 2022, 8 armed Policemen arrested Kabugo Michael who was due to set off for a community meeting between the residents, and their advisors, Witness Radio – Uganda, and the Accountability Counsel, intended to discuss issues pertaining the infrastructural project. He was later released without charges and the latest news is he got arrested after his home was raided today.
In a space of less than a year, 4 community land rights defenders, who include Abas Ssegujja, Kasozi Paul Ssengendo, Busobolwa Adam have been arrested, detained and charged for mobilizing their communities to resist land evictions. The continued resistance to surrender land has also caused the arrest of one Project Affected person, Charles Sserugo.
The defender is currently being held at Nabweru police station.
