By Peter Abanabasazi
Leaders in Kikuube district have asked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to resettle more than 1,000 people. The evictees have since February last year pitched camp at the offices of the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner-RDC, Amlan Tumusiime protesting delays by the government to resettle them on their ancestral land.
The residents are feuding with the Kyangwali refugee settlement over 36 square kilometers of land. They were evicted from Bukinda A and B, Bukinda 2, Kavule, Bwizibwera A and B, Kyeya A and B, Nyaruhanga, Kabirizi, Nyamigisa A and B, and Katoma villages among others in Kasonga parish, Kyangwali sub-county.
In September 2013, officials from the Office of the Prime Minister backed by the police and UPDF evicted more than 60,000 people from the contested land. The residents were forced to settle in camps in Kyeya village in Kyangwali sub-county under very poor conditions where they have stayed to date.
In 2016 and 2018, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ordered the evicted residents to be resettled on their ancestral land but to date, the directive has never been implemented.
On Tuesday during the commissioning of the first of the oil drilling rigs in Buhuka village Kyangwali sub-county, the leaders reminded the President about his directive.
Peter Banura, the Kikuube LCV Chairperson informed the President that all avenues of having them resettled on their land have proved futile.
Flora Natumanya, the Kikuube Woman Member of Parliament says the evictees especially women and children are suffering and up-to-date sleeping out in the cold calling for immediate intervention by the President to have them resettled.
Francis Kazini, the Buhaguzi Member of Parliament asked the President to punish those who were behind the eviction of the residents. Kazini wonders why the government left the evictees to endure suffering at the expense of refugees.
President Museveni directed Kenneth Omona, his Principal Private secretary-PPS, and Amlan Tumusiime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner-RDC to follow up on the matter and provide his office with a report immediately.
In October 2021, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja halted all activities on the contested land after learning that some officials from the OPM and Kyangwali refugee settlement had connived to erect structures for refugees on the contested land and planted crops like beans, maize, cassava, bananas, and groundnuts among others.
She ordered the Minister for Disaster Preparedness, the Commandant of Kyangwali Refugee settlement area, Kikuube District Police commander, and the Resident District Commissioner to ensure that no more activity takes place on the contested land until investigations into the wrangles are completed.
