By Leilah Bbaale
Members of Parliament in Kikuube district have halted the cultivation on the contested land in Mugamba village in Kyangwali Sub-county, Kikuube district
The land is claimed a by a group people led by Matia Kyaligonza and the family members of late Prince Brigadier Gen. David Kaboyo.
The dispute on the land measuring 53 acres of land started last year after the family of late Kaboyo led by Ruth Kaboyo the widow, developed interest of using the land.
According to her letter addressed to the Kikuube RDC dated  January 5, 2024, the widow claims that her late husband acquired the land through legal purchase from the son of late Nyanduru, one Tadeo Kusemererwa at a cost of Sh1.2 million.
She explains that after the death of her husband, the family resolved to start using the land but Kyaligonza who was hired as caretaker of the land and his group denied them access to the land.
In the process of solving the conflict, the boundary opening exercise was conducted, however, Kyaligonza and his group contested against the exercise claiming that the boundaries opened went beyond the known boundaries of Kaboyo’s land and this forced Kyaligonza and his group to petition Florence Natumanya, the Woman MP for Kikuube district and Francis Kazini, the Buhaguzi County MP.
Speaking during a community meeting organized by the lawmakers Bernard Mugisa, the LC1 chairperson for Mugamba village says the boundary opening exercise was conducted without the involvement of local leaders and claimants of the land.
He adds that after the opening of the boundaries, Kaboyo’s widow deployed a group of 30 people to cultivate on the land.
He says the group is harassing the community and denying them to access the land.
In the response, MP Natumanya ordered that all the people deployed on the land be withdrawn and stop using the contested land until the matter is solved.
She challenged Kaboyo’s family to use peaceful means if they want to utilize the land and demanded for a fresh boundary opening exercise which will involve all leaders and affected people.
Francis Kazini, the Buhaguzi County Member of Parliament says that halting the all activities on the land was necessary to ensure peace in the area and promised to engage the late Kaboyo’s family to see that they conduct a fresh boundary opening exercise.
