Two families camp at chairperson’s residence over blocked of pathway

Mukono, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | bTwo families in Ngandu ward in Mukono Municipality have camped at the Local Council Chairperson’s residence after being denied access to their homes. The families of Robert Wasswa Kunobwa and his neighbour, Mawanda accuse the employees of Pastor Joseph Kakande of Christ Ambassador’s Church Ngandu of blocking access to their homes.  

Members of both families comprising children and women spent Tuesday night outside their residences after the administration of Champion Christian School decided to erect a perimeter on the path leading to their homes. Robert Wasswa Kunobwa explains that he has been battling Pastor Kakande in court for years for encroachment.  

“I bought this land in 2008 from Abudu Mayanja with a pathway, which leads to various properties in the area. Pastor Kakande also bought the neighbouring land from Abudu’s brother, Kaddu and put up his school and church five years later. He started encroaching on the pathway claiming it is part of his Kibanja, which is not true,” Wasswa said.   

Mawanda also accuses the employees of pastor Kakande of assaulting him severally over the land dispute, adding that he has failed several cases with police over the same. “Wasswa was attacked last year by the Pastor while putting up a gate for the school and was admitted in the hospital yet the matter is still in court,” he said. 

Another neighbour who declined to identify herself accuses the Pastor of grabbing land close to Namugeze road used by about 1500 people. The road connects the ward to other parts of the municipality. “On Monday, he came with police to mark his land including this road yet it was passed by the Municipality as a road,” she said. 

URN visited the premises and found newly planted poles demarcating the school land and the community. Our reporter also observed that the old perimeter wall had been brought down and a new wall was being built in the pathway next to the school compound. However, Pastor Joseph Kakande told URN that all they are doing is to implement the court order that they received this month. 

“We secured a court order to fence the school to protect our children and the church….. On Monday, the police came to help implement this court order that is the ongoing construction. We have not entered anybody’s land. The two families are telling lies,” he said. 

Kakande also alleges that the Chairperson of Ngandu Ibrahim Kitende sold the portion of land where the path was meant to pass. Namugenze road was sold off by Kitende while selling off his land in the area and pushed the road into our land without our permission or compensation. That road is currently on our land,” he said. Kitende confirms receiving the two families at his home.  

He denies allegations of selling off the road. “I did not sell any road; the Namugenze road is the road that the pastor is trying to enclose in his school.” Abubaker Musiho, the Mukono District Police Commander has confirmed that they were in the area to witness the process on Monday. “During such processes the court orders the police to be present to ensure security for the surveyor and his team,” he said.

In September last year, Wasswa was admitted to Mukono General Hospital after sustaining injuries on the head purportedly after being hit with a spade by Pastor Kakande over the contested land. Till now, the families have not yet accessed their home.

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URN