More than 200 Mukono residents face eviction from their homes

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 200 residents from three villages Nabbale sub county in Mukono district are in fear of eviction from their homes. The affected residents are from Makukuba, Kabulo and Nkulagirira villages.

They claim that businessman; Nicholas Kabagambe has asked them to vacate their homes claiming to be the new land owner. The residents claim that they were initially paying ground rent to Buganda Land Board-BLB as their land lord, but were surprised when Kabagambe showed up claiming that he had bought the land from the family of the late Noordin Gguluddene, a fellow tenant.

The contested land measures about 100 acres. Some of the residents, who claim to have occupied the contested land for the more than 50 years, say Kabagambe showed with armed police officers and asked them to vacate the land or risk forceful eviction. They accuse the RDC for sidelining with Kabagambe who carries forged documents claiming the land belongs to him. Khalid Kigozi, 70, says he was born and raised on the contested land but he is surprised to see young men asking him to look for alternative land to settle. “Since my childhood I have known that this land belongs to Buganda where even my parents used to as well pay land fees. It is where my grandparents and as well parents grew up from. We have repeatedly told this to the RDC but he is insists that Kabagambe has proof of documentation,” Kigozi says.

Irene Nambi, another resident wonders why Kabagambe avoids discussing with them to resolve the matter amicably and opts to appear before them under police protection asking them to vacate the land.

“Even if is the new land lord, still we have been tenants for many years and we need to be listened too. But now our lives are in fear thinking what could happen next considering the recurrent threats that we receive,” Nambi reasons.

Fred Mutyaba, another resident says each time Kabagambe introduces himself to them, he says the RDC is fully aware of his presence in the area. Yosia Kimogofu, the Buganda Land Board Manager in charge of Mukono District, says Gguluddene’s family forged the land title before selling the contested land to Kabagambe.

“Fortunately we have learnt about the matter early enough and we are now in the process of canceling the title because this land belongs to Buganda Kingdom where the Kabaka’s subjects must live in peace and harmony,” Kimogofu said. Kimogofu reveals that Gguluddene’s family subleased the land in 1998 but went ahead to sell it to Kabagambe in 2008 who appeared with a new land title. Muhammad Gguluddene, a member of the Gguluddene family says they have been holding the title of the contested land for more than 20 years. Fred Bamwine, the Mukono Resident District Commissioner confirmed to URN that he is aware of the land dispute. He also says that he only received documents indicating that the contested land belongs to Kabagambe.

Bamwine says his efforts to talk to Buganda Land Board over the matter haven’t yielded residents. He notes that he has advised the new land lord to respect his tenants. “Residents are just annoyed for no reason. I have always told the new land lord to respect them since they have been tenants for many years and no one is going to evict them.”

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URN