MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Sexual violence as a tool to grab land: a local woman accuses industrial agriculture investor Agilis Partners Limited of sexual violence.

Published

2 years ago

July 3, 2024

One of the cases that was reported at Bweyale Police post in Kiryandongo district.

When the industrial agriculture investor Agilis Partners Limited targeted the communities’ land for its investments in the Kiryandongo district in 2017, the poor residents never knew that the company had employed several tactics to force them (indigenous & local communities) off their land. One of them was sexual violence.

Sexual violence means that someone forces or manipulates someone else into unwanted sexual activity without their consent. At the same time, defilement of a child is any sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 18 years old.
In this article, we bring back a story published about a woman alleging sexual violence against Agilis Partners Limited.

In 2021, in an article published by Witness Radio, women were facing significant backlash in defending their land rights. In the article, a local woman allegedly said she was raped by Agilis Partners Limited’s workers. The matter was reported to area police but refused to open a case file.

Agilis Partners Limited is owned by American brothers Philipp Prinz and Benjamin Prinz. It owns Agilis Ranch 20 and 21 Limited, Asilis Farms Limited, and Joseph Initiative Limited, a beneficiary of the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) financial support and Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) based in the Netherlands.

The Company has also received funding from Vested World, USAID under the Feed the Future Uganda program. It is currently a beneficiary of a USD 1 million loan from the World Bank’s private lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

On the fateful day of 18th August 2020, when Opondo Cathy (real names withheld) was returning home from a nearby trading center Bweyale. She got attacked and sexually abused by a private security guard whom she claimed belonged to Agilis Partners. The incident happened close to her home.

According to Opondo, the rapist attacked her from behind and tried to strangle her neck and grabbed her mouth, and hit her to the ground. “I struggled with him, but he overpowered me, put me down and raped me. I yelled louder for my rescue, but the neighbors were far away and took some time to reach the scene. As soon as the rapist had them coming, he ran away,” she revealed.

“The louder yelling brought those nearby to come to my rescue, but they did not even bother to ask me what had happened because I already looked victimized. They decided to look for the rapist, who was hard to trace. Whereas I could not walk well after the horrific incident, we went to the company offices where I always used to see him, but unfortunately, he was not there,” she further revealed.

After two days, Opondo says she managed to get to the area police to report the incident. In her words, the officer on duty (a policeman) asked her if she had evidence. When she asked for a police medical form to be examined, she was referred to a nearby Health Centre Three (III) with a small chit of a paper indicating that she was assaulted instead of being a victim of rape. On meeting the medical officer, she handed over the chit and was examined on grounds of assault, not rape.

“I could hardly walk because of severe pain in my genital organs, which even a blind person could see, but because the police work with the multinational company to evict us, they said I was only assaulted not raped,” the mother of four added.

According to Opondo, she had already received several threats and warnings from the agents of her evictors (Agilis Partners Limited). “They used to tell me, if I don’t leave the land, I should not regret what will happen to me,” she mentioned during one of the interviews with Witness Radio Uganda.

Since 2017, the company has illegally evicted over 2500 residents who were lawfully occupying and cultivating more than 2000 hectares without any due diligence or a court order, no fair compensation, and it did not provide an alternative settlement to the poor families.

Witness Radio and its partners call on the World Bank and the governments of the United States of America and the Netherlands, as key financial backers of Agilis, to support an independent investigation into the human rights abuses committed by the company.

To peace and justice advocates, click on this link and ask the World Bank and other financial backers to act swiftly to end these abuses, support the affected communities in the struggle for land rights, and hold Agilis Partners Limited accountable for all human rights abuses.

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Campaigning LC I Chairpersons Barred from Land Transactions Until Polls End.

Published

3 days ago

July 17, 2026

witnessradio.org

The Ministry of Lands has restricted LC I chairpersons seeking re-election from handling land transactions until after the July 28 village elections to prevent fraud, disputes and irregularities during the campaign period.

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has temporarily barred Local Council I (LC I) chairpersons seeking re-election from participating in land-related transactions, citing concerns over possible fraud and disputes during the election period.

In a public notice issued on Thursday, the ministry directed all campaigning LC I chairpersons to stop witnessing, endorsing, recommending or overseeing land transactions until the electoral process is concluded.

The directive comes as campaigns for village chairperson elections enter the final days ahead of polling on July 28.

“The advisory has been issued as a precautionary measure to safeguard the integrity of land transactions during this transition period and to minimise the risk of disputes, fraud, or other irregularities that may arise,” the ministry said in the notice.

The ministry advised members of the public against relying on LC I chairpersons who are actively campaigning for services involving the witnessing of land sale agreements, verification of ownership, handling of boundary disputes or any other transaction requiring local administrative involvement.

Individuals with urgent land matters were encouraged to seek assistance from qualified legal practitioners or use other lawful channels until the elections are completed.

“The Ministry urges the public to exercise patience until the election process is concluded. This precaution will help prevent costly mistakes and safeguard the interests of all parties,” the notice added.

The temporary restriction comes amid continued concerns over land disputes, which remain among the leading sources of conflict in Uganda, with local leaders often playing a key role in verifying ownership and facilitating village-level transactions.

Although LC I chairpersons do not have the legal mandate to transfer land ownership or issue titles, they are commonly relied upon during land transactions because of their knowledge of residents and local land histories.

They often help confirm the identity of sellers, identify boundaries and witness sale agreements alongside members of their executive committees, providing community-level verification before transactions are completed.

Legal experts have previously cautioned that LC I endorsements only provide local credibility and do not replace formal requirements under Uganda’s land laws. Buyers are still required to conduct proper due diligence before purchasing land.

According to the Electoral Commission roadmap, elections for Village (LC I) chairpersons will be held on July 28 across Uganda’s 71,214 villages. Elections for Parish (LC II) chairpersons will follow on August 10.

The Ministry of Lands said LC I chairpersons will resume their normal involvement in land-related matters after the conclusion of the electoral process.

Source: nilepost.co.ug

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Mbale City Senior Lands Officer Charged with Abuse of Office Over Sale of Govt Property

Published

5 days ago

July 15, 2026

witnessradio.org

KAMPALA — A senior land management official in Mbale City has been arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court on charges of abuse of office and fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title after allegedly facilitating the irregular sale of government-allocated land to a private businessman.

Emmanuel Paul Kigaye appeared in court Tuesday following his arrest by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

According to the prosecution, between September 2019 and May 2023, Kigaye, while serving as senior land management officer at Mbale City, engaged in an arbitrary act prejudicial to his employer’s interests. He is accused of irregularly causing the Registrar of Titles at the Mbale Ministry Zonal Office to issue a certificate of title for Plot 27, Bishop Masaba Road, in the name of businessman Moses Wamatsembe.

The state alleges that the action was illegal because the plot had already been allocated to the Dairy Development Authority. Prosecutors further claim that Kigaye fraudulently processed and procured the registration of a freehold certificate of title — FRV MBA199 Folio 22, instrument number MBA-0009476 — for land measuring approximately 0.5040 hectares at the same location, still in Wamatsembe’s name.

Kigaye denied the charges. He was remanded to Luzira Prison and is scheduled to reappear in court July 16.

The case highlights ongoing efforts by anti-corruption agencies to tackle irregularities in land administration, a sector long plagued by disputes and allegations of malfeasance in Uganda. Land management officers wield significant influence over title processing and allocations, making the position susceptible to abuse when proper safeguards are bypassed.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit, established by President Yoweri Museveni in December 2018 under Article 99(4) of the Constitution, was created to fast-track the resolution of corruption complaints received by the presidency. Since its inception, the unit has conducted more than 400 operations across more than 100 districts, resulting in the arraignment of more than 856 suspects and 150 convictions. It has also recovered billions of shillings in public funds and facilitated the interdiction of numerous corrupt officials.

The arrest of Kigaye forms part of the unit’s intensified scrutiny of public officials suspected of undermining government interests through corrupt land deals. Such cases often involve collusion between bureaucrats and private individuals to divert public resources for personal gain, eroding public trust in local governance and development authorities.

Court proceedings are expected to shed more light on the alleged transaction as investigations continue. Officials from Mbale City and the Dairy Development Authority have yet to issue public statements on the matter.

Source: pmldaily.com

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Kibaale Residents Raise Corruption Concerns Over Delayed Land Title Processing

Published

5 days ago

July 15, 2026

witnessradio.org

Residents of Kibaale District have accused officials of corruption and unnecessary delays in the processing of land titles, saying the challenges continue to fuel land conflicts and deny vulnerable communities secure land ownership. The concerns were raised during a Uganda Land Commission sensitisation on the Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification programme.

Residents of Kibaale District have raised concerns over alleged corruption and prolonged delays in the processing of land titles, saying the challenges continue to affect land ownership and fuel disputes within communities.

The concerns were raised during a community sensitisation meeting organised by the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) on the Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification (SLAC) programme, ahead of the issuance of more than 2,000 land titles covering 647 hectares (1,600 acres) of land purchased by the government from Fred Kasozi for beneficiary communities.

The land, located on Block 241, Plot 1 in Buyanga, covers Kasambya, Kineka A, Kikonge, and Kidukuule villages in Buyanga Sub-county, Kibaale District.

Residents welcomed the initiative but questioned why many beneficiaries under previous phases of the programme are yet to receive their land titles despite completing the registration process several years ago

They argued that the delays have created uncertainty over land ownership and contributed to an increase in land-related disputes.

Community members also alleged that corruption within the land administration process has made it difficult for vulnerable people to access land titles, with some officials reportedly demanding bribes before processing applications.

Ibrahim John Mulumba, a resident of Kibaale Town Council, said he applied for a land title more than six years ago but has never received it.

“Some of us processed our land titles over six years ago, but they have never been released. We believe some of the delays are because people could not afford to pay bribes. Corruption among some land officers has frustrated many applicants,” Mulumba said.

He further claimed that only a few people managed to obtain land titles through the intervention of adjudication committees.

Janepher Mbabazi, a resident of Kikonge A Village, accused some government officials of promoting corruption, which she said has contributed to increasing cases of land grabbing.

Matia Birungi, the LC I Chairperson of Kasambya Village, welcomed the government’s intervention, saying the programme offers a lasting solution to persistent land conflicts affecting communities.

Augustine Bugara from the Uganda Land Commission warned officials against engaging in corrupt practices, noting that such behaviour undermines government programmes intended to improve people’s livelihoods.

“Corruption sabotages government programmes and denies intended beneficiaries the services they deserve,” Bugara said.

Vincent Kasaija, the LC II Chairperson of Kibaale, applauded the government for rolling out the programme, saying secure land ownership would promote peaceful coexistence and create a stable environment for economic development.

Kenneth Kabyanga, Chairperson of Kibaale Town Council, urged the Commission to ensure that land titling is implemented in line with the town’s physical development plan to avoid future planning challenges within the central business area.

Tom John Kasenge, a Commissioner at the Uganda Land Commission, said the programme is intended to improve community livelihoods by securing land rights and reducing land-related conflicts.

“The programme is aimed at promoting community livelihoods through agriculture by securing land ownership and ensuring communities live in a conflict-free environment,” Kasenge said.

He explained that communities who have occupied the land as bona fide occupants would eventually receive legal ownership, enabling them to invest confidently in long-term development.

Kasenge also outlined the requirements for processing land titles, noting that beneficiaries would pay processing fees ranging between Shs30,000 and Shs40,000.

He said the exercise would begin with community mobilisation, followed by boundary opening, land surveys, plot subdivision, and eventual issuance of land titles.

Responding to concerns raised by residents, Kasenge assured the community that the Commission remains committed to addressing challenges affecting the programme and finding sustainable solutions to land disputes.

Meanwhile, Kibaale Resident District Commissioner Stephen Byaruhanga acknowledged the existence of corruption within the district’s land administration system, alleging that some officials attached to the District Land Board had frustrated legitimate applicants.

“There have been corruption tendencies involving some officials, and many people have failed to benefit because of those practices,” Byaruhanga said.

He requested the Uganda Land Commission to provide his office with records from previous land title processing exercises to facilitate investigations into cases where beneficiaries never received their titles.

“Having this information will enable the security team to investigate those who frustrated the process and ensure accountability,” he added.

John Byarugaba, a staff surveyor in the Kibaale District Lands Office, said preparations for the latest land title distribution exercise had been completed.

“We already have everything in place, including survey stones, and we are ready to begin the exercise,” Byarugaba said.

He explained that under Block 244, Plot 20 in Karuguza, 912 land titles were processed and all beneficiaries received them, while under Block 178, Plot 1 in Nyamarunda Town Council, 1,517 land titles were processed, although a few remain uncollected.

He added that approximately 200 land titles under Block 244, Plot 19 in Buyaga, Karuguza, are still pending processing.

Source: nilepost.co.ug