Connect with us

WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Return our properties, Tooro tells government

Published

on

Kabarole- Close to two decades since the restoration of cultural institutions, Tooro Kingdom has renewed its call to central government for the return of kingdom properties.

The kingdom’s prime minister, Mr Benard Tungwako, expressed disappointment that properties for other kingdoms are being returned while Tooro Kingdom’s are not.
“We want our properties returned in order to allow the kingdom offer services to the people. The government should not discriminate against Tooro Kingdom,” Mr Tungwako told Daily Monitor yesterday.
After abolition of kingdoms in 1966 by then president Apollo Milton Obote, all their assets were seized by central government.

The land
Both Tooro king’s land and institution land, among other properties were seized.

When President Museveni assumed power in 1986, he restored kingdoms in 1993. Government has since returned some of Buganda’s properties.

According to Tooro Kingdom officials, the central government in 1999 only returned 17 titles located in Fort Portal town out of 120 titles.

Since then, the kingdom has been pushing for the return of all kingdom land.

Late last year, the Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council (Orukurato) passed a resolution to drag government to court if their assets are not returned.
The council also inaugurated the negotiation committee comprising the kingdom prime minister, kingdom minister of lands, and chairperson kingdom land board, among others.

The committee in March met the Minister for Local Government who promised to take a draft report to Cabinet for further discussion.

The kingdom secretary of land board, Mr Wilson Kagoro, said they have now renewed their call to the central government to see that kingdom properties are returned. He said the kingdom is now demanding 103 titles from the central government for both the king’s land and institutional land.
The titles they are demanding include the 325 acres at Nyachwamba in Kamwenge District, occupied by prisons department. Also, part of the land houses the king’s palace.

They are also demanding 60 acres of land at Karambi query in Kamwenge District occupied by Uganda Railway Corporation. This land has been encroached by the locals.

Other pieces of land include 25 acres at Lyamugonera in Kahunge Town Council, 120 acres at Kabunga also in Kamwenge District.

In other districts such as Kyenjojo, the kingdom is demanding 13 land titles, eight titles in Ntoroko, 13 in Bunyangabu, eight in Bundibugyo and 1,025 square miles in Kasese District.

The Tooro Kingdom officials made the same call at the inauguration ceremony of Tooro Kingdom Council of opinion leaders (Isaazi lyo bukama bwa Tooro) at the kingdom’s Karuzika palace in Fort Portal town on Saturday.

The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, speaking as guest of honour promised to push for the return of all kingdom properties including those of Busoga Kingdom.

“It is not good to have the kingdom without its resources. I am assuring you that I am going to handle this issue of Tooro Kingdom properties vigorously to see that central government returns the properties” Speaker Kadaga said.

“I am also pursuing our properties of Busoga Kingdom. As you know, the central government returned Bugembe headquarters but other properties including the markets are still in the hands of central government,” she added.

The Ministry of Lands spokesperson, Mr Denis Obbo, said the kingdom demand of their properties must be backed by the legal documents to enable them start verification process.

No evictions
In March, representatives from State House led by Ms Sandra Byomugyenyi met Tooro Kingdom officials and Kamwenge District leaders and said government would return properties but people should not be evicted.
At the same function, King of Tooro Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru IV said since 1966, the behaviour and unity among the people of Tooro has declined.

He underscored the importance of working together to revive the culture, unity and morals among his people.

WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Top 10 agribusiness giants: corporate concentration in food & farming in 2025

Published

on

Today a handful of agribusiness corporations have consolidated unprecedented control over the world’s food supply, with devastating consequences for farmers, consumers and the planet. A new report by ETC Group and GRAIN examines the state of corporate concentration in six sectors critical to agriculture: commercial seeds, pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, farm machinery, animal pharmaceuticals and livestock genetics.

Corporate consolidation is increasing in most of these sectors and four of them– seeds, pesticides, agricultural machinery and animal pharmaceuticals– now meet the definition of an oligopoly, in which four companies control more than 40% of a market. Concentration can be even higher at the national level, as is the case with synthetic fertilisers.

Top findings from the report include:

  • Oligopolies dominate key sectors: Bayer, Corteva, Syngenta, and BASF control 56% of the global commercial seeds market, and 61% of the pesticides market.
  • Profiteering amid global crises: Agribusiness giants have exploited crises like the Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic to inflate prices. Fertiliser companies, for instance, saw revenues soar by 57% from 2020 to 2023, with some accused of price gouging.
  • Digital and biotech expansion: Corporations are rapidly integrating AI, gene editing, and digital platforms into agriculture through partnerships with Big Tech companies. These technologies enable data extraction from farmers, facilitate carbon credit schemes, and tighter control over food systems—while raising concerns about biosafety, privacy, and corporate monopolies.

View the Report

Source: grassrootsonline

Continue Reading

WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Land grabbers evict 360,000 Ugandans in 2024

Published

on

A staggering 363,021 Ugandans were displaced due to forced land evictions between January and June 2024, according to a new report by Witness Radio Uganda.

The report documented 90 cases of land evictions during this period, with nearly four incidents occurring weekly, affecting over 15,126 people and threatening 5,060 hectares of land nationwide.

The Central region was the epicenter, recording 52 eviction cases, followed by 24 in the Western region, eight in the Northern region, and six in the Eastern region. Alarmingly, the report estimated that 2,160 Ugandans face eviction daily, with 723 hectares of land at risk of being grabbed every day.

VIOLENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Despite government promises and directives from President Museveni to halt evictions, land grabbers have routinely ignored these orders, often resorting to violence. Armed security forces, private militias, and police were reported to have carried out the majority of the evictions.

Of the reported cases, 37 were enforced by armed gangs on behalf of evictors, 25 involved Uganda Police, five were carried out with the participation of UPDF soldiers, and four were linked to private security companies.

“The egregious levels of impunity exhibited by land grabbers have left communities defenseless, creating an environment where their human rights are trampled without consequence,” said Jeff Wokulira Ssebaggala, country director of Witness Radio Uganda.

He called for accountability and justice, warning that the unchecked power of influential individuals and entities leaves marginalized communities vulnerable and without recourse.

DRIVERS OF EVICTIONS: INDUSTRIALIZATION AND LAND-BASED INVESTMENTS

The report identified the government’s push for industrialization and land-based investments as the primary drivers of forced evictions. Land is increasingly targeted for oil and gas extraction, mining, agribusiness and tree plantations for carbon offsets. While some of this land is already under development, other parcels remain vacant but are guarded by military personnel and private security firms.

Ssebaggala emphasized that industrialization must balance economic development with the protection of smallholder farmers’ rights to land and food security.

TRAGIC STORIES

The report highlighted harrowing cases that underscore the human toll of forced evictions. In Nakasongola, smallholder farmer Dan Ssebyala was ambushed and killed by armed men following a confrontation over disputed land. The district has become a hotspot for violent evictions involving absentee landlords and powerful investors.

Ismael Bwowe, a disabled father of 20, recounted how his land was confiscated after he demanded fair compensation. He faced intimidation, arrests and false charges from state authorities, including being accused of robbing an influential individual. Bwowe claimed that Total Energies offered legal support and representation on the condition that he accept their compensation terms.

“I refused,” he said, adding that the pressure to relinquish his land remains intense. The report underscores the urgent need for reforms to address forced evictions, ensure accountability, and protect the rights of vulnerable communities. Without meaningful intervention, Uganda risks deepening inequality and undermining the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who are essential to the country’s food security.

FAMILY JAILED AMID LAND DISPUTE

The plight of Richard Ssebagala, his wife Prossy Namande, and their relative Anania Ngabirano, residents of Kabubu-Kabongo village in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso district, highlights the human toll of Uganda’s ongoing land disputes. The family spent nine months in prison following their arrest on January 10, 2024, under controversial circumstances.

ARREST AND ALLEGATIONS

The arrests occurred at 1am, during a raid by officers from Luweero police station. Police reportedly banged on the doors and forcefully detained the family, accusing them of aggravated robbery. However, the family believes the arrest was a tactic linked to a land dispute with Benon Ntambi, a man who allegedly grabbed their land.

Before the arrests, Ntambi had reportedly destroyed crops, including tomatoes, potatoes, and bananas, on the contested land. While the family was incarcerated, a new building was constructed on their land, which is now occupied, raising further questions about the motivations behind their detention.

CALLS FOR JUSTICE

The case has drawn attention from Witness Radio Uganda, which has urged the government to take immediate action to address land grabbing and illegal evictions. The organization emphasized the need to strengthen land laws and protect vulnerable communities from abuses.

It also called for greater accountability in institutions such as the Uganda Police Force, the army and land registries, which are often accused of corruption and favoritism toward the wealthy.

“The government must prioritize justice for victims of illegal evictions and address systemic corruption that leaves the poor defenseless against land grabbers,” Witness Radio Uganda stated.

BROADER CONTEXT

This case underscores the broader issue of land conflicts in Uganda, where vulnerable families are often caught in disputes with powerful individuals or entities. Advocacy groups warn that the failure to address these issues not only erodes public trust but also perpetuates inequality and injustice.

As the government faces mounting pressure to act, the story of Ssebagala and his family serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for reforms to protect land rights and ensure justice for those impacted by land disputes.

Source: The Observer

Continue Reading

WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Uganda: Community members violently evicted by security forces, allegedly related to EACOP; incl. co. responses

Published

on

On 10 February 2023, more than 2,500 community members were forcibly evicted from their land in Kapapi village in Hoima district in Western Uganda by security forces, receiving no compensation or resettlement.

Witness Radio, an Ugandan non-profit organisation comprised of human rights investigative journalists, lawyers, and social workers, said that many people were wounded during the eviction, women were raped, and houses were destroyed.

Witness Radio said its investigations found that this eviction occurred to clear the path for the Tilenga feeder pipeline, part of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). According to Witness Radio, in 2022 Kapapi community members’ land was surveyed for the Tilenga pipeline and people were informed they would be compensated for the land. Instead, they were forcibly evicted, which Witness Radio allege was backed and financed by Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, known to TotalEnergies. They also allege that guards from private security company Magnum Security were involved. Witness Radio has also found that dozens of local farmers who were evicted have been arbitrarily arrested and face criminal charges.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited TotalEnergies, Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, and Magnum Security to respond to the allegations. TotalEnergies responded and stated that no land eviction activities had been carried out by or on behalf of TotalEnergies EP Uganda (TEPU) and EACOP Ltd and that none of the affected people are Tilenga or EACOP Project Affected Persons. Swacoff responded and said that the company has never engaged in forceful eviction of any sort and asserts that these allegations are completely false. Their full responses and rejoinders from Witness Radio are available below. Magnum Security did not respond.

Source: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

Continue Reading

Resource Center

Legal Framework

READ BY CATEGORY

Facebook

Newsletter

Subscribe to Witness Radio's newsletter



Trending

Subscribe to Witness Radio's newsletter