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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Witnessradio.org Intervention Reveals Worrying Land Grabbing Crisis in Mubende 

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An investigation report by witnessradio.org has found that the Mubende district located in the Central region of Uganda is in grip of land-grabbing crisis that has seen over 14,600 peasant and subsistence farmers losing their land to agribusiness big companies.

The details of the study reveal a roller coaster of violations meted against victims of land-grabs in their thousands orchestrated by the oppressors particularly two tree-planting companies; Quality Parts Ltd Formasa and Co. Limited.

The violations, according to the witnessradio.org report range from duress, intimidation, fraud, terror, and forceful eviction from disputed land.

To elaborate the violations, the report says the oppressors cut down, slash and destroyed the crops of the victims on top of perpetrating a systematic campaign of violence and threats of violence including the beating up and terrorizing of the same victims.

The said companies, are followed by some moneyed individuals such as Samuel Bivanju, Henry Kalemera Kimera, a man claims to be the grandson of Ssekabaka Daudi Chwa of Buganda Kingdom, among others in tormenting carrying out massive evictions of subsistence farmers from their ancestral land without compensation.

Bivanju, a self-proclaimed land lord is claiming ownership of 408.7o hectares covering two parishes;  Kanyogoga and Kisagazi parishes, Butoloogo sub-county, Buwekula County, with eight 8 villages including; Lwebaga, Kanyogoga, Kifumbira, Kyakajja and Kawolo, Kisagazi, Kanabugoma, Terekero.

a grieved resident holding stems of slashed plantationsAccording to findings by witnessradio.org approximately 300 homesteads with 1600 people are at the verge of being evicted and forcibly from the land on which they have lived for the last 29 years.

Of these victims, over 450 are women, 390 men and with 760 children, according to witnessradio.org report.

Despite his claim that he owns the land that he sold to Francis Katabarwa, the available documents reveals that the disputed land is public land with attempts by Bivanju to turn it into a private mailo freehold land through use of certain civil servants charged with handling land matters from local, district and national level.

On the other hand, two big tree-planting companies; Quality Parts Ltd Formasa and Co. Limited are involved in a land conflict in the other side of Buwekula County in the same Mubende district.

These companies evicted at least  3,000 people from  Butolo, Kaswa, and Nakasozi villages in Naluwondwa Parish; Namayindi, Kisiigwa, Bikonyi, Mukiguluka, Busaabala and Kendikyo in Kakenzi Parish, Madudu Sub-County, Buwekula, County; and Kicucuulo village, Kasolo-Kamponye Parish, Butoloogo Sub-County.

According to the report, the victims owned crops like like cassava, beans, maize, banana plantations, coffee, and other agricultural products like domestic animals including herds of cattle, pigs, goats, among others of which peasants would also sell to earn some money.

On average, families could earn between Shs 2m-10m per season depending on the prevailing circumstances vis-à-vis individuals’ efforts invested in working, the reports says.

The land also had a number of vital social amenities whose loss made a tremendous negative impact on the community.

There were four schools namely; Kifumbira Primary School, Kanyogoga Millennium Primary School, Katibenda Primary School and infants’ School, all privately-owned and Kanyogoga Health Center II which is a government-run one.

Also, the government built a grilling-mill factory for residents such that they could use it to add value to their maize and also make posho for their own consumption.

These villages also had 12 water sources from which residents could fetch water for themselves and their animals.

Another worrying case involves 10,000 residents of seven villages who were found stranded after their self-proclaimed land lord gave them only seven days to vacate the land measuring 2 ½ square-miles.

RDC mubende in the meeting

In this particular case, villages; Lwentuwa, Kamusenene, Nkoma, Kilerwe, Musozi, Kitayiza A and Kitayiza B, in Lwentuwa, Kamusenene, Nkokoma, Kilerwe, Musozi, Kitayiza A and Kitayiza B all in Kamusenene parish, Kiganda Sub-County, Mubende district, Stella Kakuba is said to have connived with Emmanuel Ssempala, the Clerk, Mubende district land board to forge a certificate of title of the said land.

It took the intervention of the Resident District Commissioner, Mubende district Florence Beyunga to halt the intended plan by the fake landlord to end 70-year tenure of occupation by the residents turned victims of land grabbing.

 

An observation in this report by witnessradio.org is that forging of the certificate of land titles by the self-proclaimed landlords with help of callous civil servants is increasingly outstanding.

The most unfortunate aspect in the study is that residents are so worried asserting that some of them are unsure of what the future holds for them because they have lived their entire life on the disputed pieces of land thus having nowhere else to call home.

Reporting and editing by Deo Walusimbi

 

 

 

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

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

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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

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Land grabbers evict 360,000 Ugandans in 2024

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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

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

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

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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

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