Residents of three villages in Buikwe District say arrests, alleged beatings and restrictions on movement have heightened fears of eviction as two companies battle over 640 acres of land in court.
Residents of Lugala Village in Lugoba Parish, Ssibukumi Sub-county, Buikwe District, on Monday gathered at Lugazi Police Station demanding answers over the arrest of their colleagues in a long-running dispute involving two companies claiming ownership of 640 acres of land.
The residents, drawn from Lugala, Buyoba and Muyiyibwe villages, accused security personnel deployed on the disputed property of intimidating occupants, restricting their movements and destroying crops, leaving more than 2,000 people fearing possible eviction.
The dispute pits Kiziba Estates Limited against Sir Henry Morgan & Associates Limited, with both companies claiming ownership of the land.
The matter is before the High Court in Lugazi, which has issued interim orders restraining the parties from interfering with the disputed property and evicting occupants pending a determination of ownership.
The latest arrests have heightened tensions in the affected communities, with residents questioning why they are being caught up in a legal battle they say they have little control over.
Harriet Nakabugo, an 86-year-old resident of Lugala, said she had lived on the land since the 1990s and feared she would have nowhere to go if evicted.
“I came onto this land in the 1990s, and we wonder how someone can come onto land where we have lived for so long and start claiming ownership. They are not only claiming the land but have also put the entire village in fear. They arrested our children last week, and we are still trying to trace them,” she said.
Nakabugo appealed to authorities to consider the plight of elderly residents and other occupants who have established homes and livelihoods on the disputed property.
“At my age of 86, if they chase me from this land, where am I going to go? This was supposed to be a settlement area. If you chase me away, how am I going to start a new home? We know people want money so badly, but they must also consider the human side of this matter,” she added.
Kenneth Musamali, another resident of Lugala, accused security personnel deployed on the land of imposing restrictions that have disrupted daily life in the villages.
“In our villages, it feels as if we are under another government. We are under lockdown and are heavily restricted. Even to fetch water from the water source, we first have to seek permission. Even when we want to dig, we must get permission from the group of men deployed in our villages,” he said.
Musamali further alleged that residents were beaten whenever they were found carrying out activities on the land without permission.
“They move around the entire villages. If they find anyone doing anything on the land without their permission, they gather around that person and beat them. There is fear in our villages,” he said.
Marion Kamusiime, a resident of Muyiyibwe, appealed to the government to clarify ownership of the land, saying ordinary occupants had become victims of a dispute involving powerful interests.
“As innocent residents and bibanja owners, we have been dragged into issues that are beyond us. The young men who were arrested had gone to work and earn a living. Someone simply going to make Shs10,000 has ended up being arrested,” she said.
The residents want the government and security agencies to protect their homes, gardens and livelihoods while the court determines ownership of the property.
Sezibwe Region Police spokesperson Assistant Superintendent of Police Hellen Butoto confirmed that 10 suspects were being held in police cells in connection with the land dispute.
She said the suspects had been found on land that is the subject of an ongoing ownership contest.
However, residents reported that the number of people arrested had risen to 20 following operations by police and army personnel on the disputed property.
The residents subsequently gathered at Lugazi Police Station to demand explanations for the arrests and seek the release of their colleagues.
The competing figures had not been reconciled by the time of publication.