Mayanja said, “There is a presidential order banning anybody from evicting anyone from land, and secondly, this land belongs to the land Commission and not Obwakyabazinga bwa Busoga, while the other piece of land belongs to Jinja City Land Board”.
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Residents of Kainogoga and Buwekula on Igenge hill which is also the seat of the palace of the Kyabazinga of Busoga, who were rejoicing after the State Minister for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja had ordered them to re-occupy their land from which they had allegedly been forcefully ejected on orders of the Katuukiro (prime minister), retracted their jubilations and some were arrested amid volleys of gun shots.
This followed a meeting between the residents and the minister in which they narrated the suffering they have been subjected to by the Katuukiro Joseph Muvawala, including destruction of their houses, illegal detention which they claim, at one point led to the death of two people identified as Muzeeyi Nakawooya and Abdul, confiscation of their property by the Kyabazinga’s guards, and a host of other atrocities.
In a meeting at Igenge hill, the LC I Chairman Mohammed Bogere told the minister that the land wrangles began way back in 2009 when locals settled on the bare land and started tilling and occupying it. From nowhere, UPDF soldiers recently attacked them and began demolishing their houses.
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“The uniformed and armed UPDF soldiers operating under the command of one Maj. Mugoya Ronald, said they were executing the orders of the Kyabazinga. We later established that the Katuukiro Muvawala was behind the torture and arrest of my people some of them were thrown behind bars and taken to court even without recording any statements,” Boogere said, adding, it is under such circumstances that Muzeeyi Nakawooya and Abdul died.
A teacher identified as Joan Namusoke said that on March 10, 2018, prisoners were brought to the area to dig their land and that when she attempted to find out more from security people who had brought them, Kyabazinga’s guards arrested her, took her to Bugembe police and later to Jinja CPS allegedly on the orders of Katuukiro Muvawala.
She said they were later sent on remand for five days, and that their matter dragged on for close to two years until they were discharged by court. Among torture victims were Ibra Mpako, Daniel Taitika 61, Rev. Can. James Kivunike, his wife, and others.
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The man of God, Can. Kivunike said he took his title to Muvawala for scrutiny and that ten years down the road, he has not received any reaction from the Katuukiro, adding that the Kyabazinga’s guards confiscated his building tools and is to date jobless.
Touched by their ordeal, Minister Mayanja castigated the soldiers and Kyabazinga’s officials for involvement in such inhuman activities and ordered for the arrest of whoever was involved in perpetration of such acts including Busoga Katuukiro Muvawala. Buwekula LC I chairman, Jamawaha Kwegemya was immediately arrested.
Mayanja said, “There is a presidential order banning anybody from evicting anyone from land, and secondly, this land belongs to the land Commission and not Obwakyabazinga bwa Busoga, while the other piece of land belongs to Jinja City Land Board”. He also directed the RCC to provide protection to these people.
But no sooner had the minister left the site and as residents were uprooting the demarcation poles than plain clothed soldiers started shooting in the air, and two people were arrested. Jinja RDC Richard Gulume Balyayino appealed to locals to keep calm with promises that their issue is being handled adequately.
The minister began the day with a meeting with Kyabazinga’s ministers, of land Frederick Kyangwa and of special duties Edward Munaaba, whom he informed that Busoga kingdom is wrongfully claiming land measuring 120 acres with over 300 tenants that does not belong to it.
However, Munaaba maintained the stand that the land rightfully belongs to the Obwakyabazinga Bwa Busoga, and that the monarchy is not evicting anyone. He clarified further that they are only engaged in a campaign of registering these people so that they are legally known.