Residents occupying land belonging to Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) in Kasese Municipality have called for urgent negotiations with the corporation before any eviction is carried out. They are demanding compensation or alternative settlement arrangements for those who have invested millions of shillings in homes and other developments on the contested land.
The appeal follows a government directive requiring occupants to vacate the railway reserve to pave the way for its intended use. The directive has raised concerns among residents who claim they acquired plots through agreements with individuals they believed were acting on behalf of former railway management.
Some of the affected residents say they have lived on the land for years after purchasing plots and constructing permanent homes. They argue that they should not be evicted without consideration of the circumstances under which they settled there and the investments they have made.
Hassan Kamuhanda, the LC1 chairperson of Kikonzo Cell, says some residents settled in the area after fleeing the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) insurgency, while others were displaced by the expansion of national parks in the region.
“Some residents settled in this area after fleeing the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) insurgency, while others were displaced by the expansion of national parks in the region. These circumstances left some families with limited settlement options, making the prospect of eviction particularly distressing,” Kamuhanda said.
Peter Musubahu, one of the affected residents, says the occupants want an opportunity to engage the corporation and negotiate a settlement that takes their circumstances into account.
“Those of us occupying the railway land want an opportunity to engage the corporation and agree on a settlement that considers our circumstances. Many of us acquired this land through transactions we believed were legitimate, having dealt directly with individuals we understood to be acting on behalf of railway authorities,” Musubahu said.
John Katusabe, another affected resident, says he paid 30 million shillings for his plot and signed a sale agreement in the presence of a lawyer. However, he now faces the possibility of losing the property.
“I paid 30 million shillings for my plot and signed a sale agreement in the presence of a lawyer, but now I face the possibility of losing everything. The money invested in this land represents a significant financial commitment. Because I was in the army for a long time, I did not know what was going on, and I ended up becoming a victim of circumstance,” Katusabe said.
The affected residents are asking Uganda Railways Corporation to open negotiations with them, proposing compensation for those required to vacate the reserve or formal tenancy arrangements for occupants who may be permitted to remain.
They argue that demolishing their homes and other structures without an agreed settlement would worsen their hardship, particularly for families without readily available alternative land within Kasese Municipality.
Isaac Kalyabyuma, the LC1 secretary for information in Katadoba Cell, says the concerns of the affected residents should be addressed through dialogue, considering the significant investments they claim to have made on the land.
“The concerns of the affected residents should be addressed through engagement, given the significant investments they claim to have made on this land,” Kalyabyuma said.
However, Zedekiah Kayiri, the deputy town clerk of Kasese Municipality, maintains that the disputed land belongs to Uganda Railways Corporation. He says residents claiming ownership or alleging that they purchased plots should present their cases directly to the corporation for consideration.
“Residents claiming to have purchased plots should present their cases directly to the corporation, which is responsible for the land. I appeal to the occupants to comply with the government directive, noting that restoring the railway reserve could support the revival of railway transport and contribute greatly to Kasese’s economic development,” Kayiri said.
The restoration of railway infrastructure is viewed as an opportunity to improve the movement of goods and passengers, particularly given Kasese’s commercial activities and its strategic location near the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The dispute highlights the challenge of balancing plans to restore public infrastructure with the interests of residents who say they acquired land through transactions involving individuals associated with former railway management.
For the affected residents, the immediate concern is to secure a settlement that prevents abrupt displacement and takes into account the investments they have made over the years.
They are now urging Uganda Railways Corporation to engage them before the eviction exercise proceeds, insisting that their claims, the agreements they hold and the circumstances that led them to settle on the land should be examined before a final decision is implemented.