Land grabbers threaten to evict 7,000 Residents in Kagadi district
The affected community, spanning five villages in Kyaterekera Town Council, has appealed directly to President Yoweri Museveni and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja for urgent intervention to halt the displacement.
By George Busiinge
Over 7,000 residents in Kagadi District are living in fear and experiencing sleepless nights after receiving alleged eviction threats from purported land grabbers claiming ownership of a 12 square-mile area they have occupied for decades.
The affected community, spanning five villages in Kyaterekera Town Council, has appealed directly to President Yoweri Museveni and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja for urgent intervention to halt the displacement.
The affected villages—Lyanda A, Lyanda B, Katerera A, Katerera B, and Katoma in Buswaka Ward—are embroiled in a dispute where the claimants are reportedly citing land titles to demand immediate vacation of the property.
Threats Issued Via Phone
According to residents, the threats to vacate their homes and cultivated lands have been delivered informally, mostly through phone calls from individuals claiming the land belongs to them.
During a widely attended community meeting held at Lyanda Trading Center, residents detailed the paralyzing fear caused by the threats. They noted that the uncertainty has halted productive work, as they fear being evicted by the alleged land grabbers at any moment.
Residents expressed shock, pointing out that they have been living and farming on the land—equivalent to 12 square miles—for more than 30 years, questioning how the claimants could have legally obtained titles covering their homes.
Joy Kesiime, a 52-year-old resident of Lyanda Village, testified that she has lived on the land for forty years.
“I was completely surprised when I got information that some people were allegedly claiming to own the land and were demanding that we vacate,” Kesiime stated during the meeting.
Justus Keeya, another resident of Lyanda Village, shared similar disbelief, explaining that he has occupied the land since 1980. “I was shocked recently when I discovered that some people allegedly claimed to have titles covering our area,” he said.
Demand for Presidential Intervention
In response to the crisis, local leaders and residents are demanding that the highest levels of government step in to resolve the long-standing land conflict.
Alex Tulyasingula of Katerera Village, Hope Mbabazi (the Kyaterekera Town Council Councilor representing PWDs), and Michael Byalinda were among those who specifically asked Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and President Museveni to intervene immediately.
Historical Context and Political Response
The community meeting was attended by the Buyaga West Member of Parliament, Barnabas Tinkasimire, who acknowledged the persistence of land tenure problems in the region.
MP Tinkasimire explained that the Greater Mpeefu Sub-County, which encompasses the affected area, has historically struggled with numerous land titles acquired without following proper procedures.
He noted that while the government managed to compensate some landlords using the national Land Fund in the past, a few land titles remain unresolved and uncompensated.
To ascertain the validity of the current claims and the boundaries of the disputed titles, MP Tinkasimire announced an immediate step forward.
“I have decided to take a private surveyor on ground to ascertain the truth of the matter and determine the facts behind these threats,” Tinkasimire revealed, promising to work with the residents to secure their tenure rights.
