By Flavia Ajok
Over 80 National Resistance Army [NRA] veterans in Masindi district are involved in a land dispute with former colleagues who they accuse of registering a piece of land given to them by President Yoweri without their knowledge.
The veterans under the umbrella of Kulima Kurungi Farmers Association Limited now want Museveni to help them regain land measuring 199 hectares they claim was given to them by the president in the late 1980s.
The land in question is registered as LWB/7044 LRV 2304 Folio 13 Plot 31 Buruli Block 2 Kimina, Kyakamese Pakanyi, Masindi district.
According to Steven Kateeba, Chairperson Kulima Kurungi Farmers Association Limited, after the war in 1986, Museveni told them to identify free land such that it is registered in the association’s name. “We identified this land and the president gave it to us at no cost. Everything involved was done at his cost but we are now being evicted from the same land by self-seekers,” he says.
The veterans aver that their former colleagues Apollo Nyabongo, Sowedi Isingoma, and George Kagwa of illegally, unlawfully, and fraudulently registered Kulima Kurungi Farmers Cooperative Limited as the proprietor of the said land instead of Kulima Murungi Farmers Association Limited.
Yusufu Wayara Kaboha, one of the veterans explains that the contested land was given to them for their contribution to the NRA struggle which secured the country from bad leadership.
“This land was given to us by the president as an appreciation for the great work we had done to secure this country. The only person who can save us is the president because we have tried all avenues including courts but we have failed. These people clandestinely registered this land under the cooperative and outsmarted us yet they were part of us initially. Everyone who would help us seems to be compromised. The self-seekers who grabbed the land are renting it out and eating the money alone and yet this land was supposed to benefit many people,” added Kaboha.
Court documents show the veterans lodged a case at Masindi High Court in 2017 seeking for justice but in vain. Apollo Nyabongo, Sowedi Isingoma and George Kaggwa were sued alongside the Commissioner Land Registration.
The complainants under Suit No. 003 of 2017 are seeking for a declaration that the registered proprietor, Kulima Kurungi Farmers Cooperative Limited is non-existent.
They also wanted court to declare that the trio illegally, unlawfully and fraudulently registered the said land under the cooperative yet it’s under the association of the veterans. They were also seeking an order for the cancellation of the certificate of title in respect of the land.
They also wanted an order directing the Registrar of Titles to register the veterans under their association as the lawful registered proprietors of the said land.
The veterans also wanted an order directing that all the monies received by the first three defendants in the form of rent be accounted for and paid to them at a commercial rate.
“Our file has never been given attention. We don’t know why? We pray that president Museveni hears our prayer because he knows how we acquired this land,” the plaintiffs say.
Meanwhile, the first three defendants say Kulima Kurungi Farmers Cooperative Limited followed all lawful procedures to acquire the certificate of title for the contested land.
They also argue that the leasehold certificate has been in existence for the last 28 years and the same has never been challenged by the plaintiffs.
They say the plaintiff has never owned and utilised the suit land. They said certificate of title has never changed proprietorship under Kulima Kurungi Farmers Cooperative Limited upon its registration on December, 8, 1994, and that the lease was renewed for 47 years and due to expire in 2043.
While addressing a meeting recently, Eddy Aguuda, Chairperson LCIII Kiruli Subcounty noted the conflict between the two sides has lasted for long, adding that if not handled expeditiously, there could be bloodshed.
“We have completely lost peace due to this conflict. The only parties which can settle this matter are State House, and the President. Everyone knows that this land was given to the veterans by the President but because the key people who are supposed to settle the matter are not acting, the conflict still persists,” said Aguuda.
“The land should be subdivided among the veterans such that we get peace. Courts have also not helped these veterans,” he added.
On his part, Sanon Dhaala, Deputy Resident District Commissioner Masindi said their office has never received any court order to evict the veterans from the said land.
“Any evictions to be made there are procedures followed. Our office has never received any order directing any eviction. That’s why State House has come on ground to find out what’s happening exactly,” said Dhaala.
