More than 300 households and about 200 business operators in Kamwenge Town Council face displacement from railway land as Uganda Railways Corporation prepares to begin a reclamation exercise on October 26.
More than 300 households and about 200 business operators in Kamwenge Town Council, Kamwenge District, face displacement as the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) prepares to reclaim its land and reserves, with the exercise scheduled to begin on October 26, 2026.
The planned evictions have sparked concern among residents who have occupied the railway reserve for decades, with many appealing to the government to consider their circumstances and help them secure alternative homes and business premises.
The affected people include families who depend on the area for shelter and traders whose livelihoods could be disrupted by relocation. Some fear that finding alternative accommodation and commercial premises at short notice will be difficult.
Kamwenge Town Clerk Wilber Mucunguzi said the town council had received official communication from URC regarding the planned reclamation exercise.
Mucunguzi said more than 300 households and about 200 business operators were expected to be affected, alongside institutions including Kamwenge Railway Primary School and several churches.
He said residents had been warned against settling on railway land in 2022 but many had failed to heed the warning.
“The residents were warned in 2022 against settling on railway land, but many did not take the warning seriously. They now need to prepare for the planned reclamation exercise,” Mucunguzi said.
Kamwenge Town Council Speaker Richard Mugisha urged residents to comply with the directive, saying the exercise was part of a nationwide effort by URC to recover encroached railway land.
However, Mugisha said the government should also consider the circumstances of people who had occupied the reserve for decades, some of whom could struggle to find alternative accommodation.
“Some of these people have lived on this land for more than 40 years. Although the railway land needs to be reclaimed, the government should consider their plight and explore ways of helping those who may struggle to find alternative accommodation,” Mugisha said.
The railway line opened in 1956 to transport goods, including copper from the Kilembe Copper Mines. Its operations were suspended in 1998, after which parts of the railway reserve were occupied by residents and business operators who established homes and commercial premises along the corridor.
For traders, the planned eviction threatens to disrupt established businesses, cut off sources of income and force them to seek new premises where they will have to rebuild their customer base.
With the October 26 deadline approaching, affected residents are under pressure to identify alternative places to live and conduct business.
As URC moves to recover the land, residents are appealing for government intervention to ensure the exercise protects public infrastructure while addressing the welfare of families and businesses facing displacement.