RUBANDA DISTRICT LEADERS, CATHOLIC CHURCH CONFLICT OVER LAND

By vanansio kakogoso
www.mknewslink.com
In Rubanda
The meeting that was called today at Rubanda district headquarters to resolve the Kakihuma land conflict between Rubanda catholic parish and Rubanda district did not yield, after Rubanda catholic parish failed to turn-up.
The Rubanda district Chief Administrative officer Aggrey Muramira who presided over the meeting said that they have set Thursday next week for another meeting to have the controversy resolved amicably.
The Rubanda district Chairman Jogo Kenneth Biryabarema said that as a district leadership they are ready to negotiate and resolve the matter minus going to court. He also called on involved parties to desist from the influence some political leaders, if the matter is to be resolved amicably.
The 18 acres Kakihuma land is located in Mukatojo cell in Nyaruhanga ward Rubanda town council Rubanda district. Kakihuma land was gazetted by government in 1960’s for grazing purposes. The same land was used by Rubanda county scouts for camping in 1990’s.
On 14th December 1985, then the Rubanda County Chief Charles Rukanyangyira ordered all parish chiefs to demarcate all boundaries of government land including Kakihuma land.
Kakihuma land was also contained the inventory which was complied by Adios Kyomukama the Kabale district Natural resources officer on 24th March, 2015 and handed over to Rubanda district when it was curved from Kabale district in 2016, as public land.
However, the family of late Bahurira emerged later claiming to be the owners of the said land and later purportedly donated the land to Rubanda parish in 2017. Early this month, Rubanda parish opened up a church at the said land for Christians from Mukitojo village.
On 15th June 2018, Rubanda Town council Town clerk Bernard Muhangi wrote letters to parties calling for a reconciliation meeting between Rubanda district, the family of late Bahurira and Rubanda parish to resolve the disagreement amicably. However the family of late Bahurira and Rubanda parish did not turn up.
However, the Rubanda parish priest Rev. Fr. Fidel Ndagijimana, in a letter dated 20th June 2018, addressed to the town clerk, says the church decided to abscond from the meeting since there was no other neutral party to resolve the controversy.
He also said that since they have already opened the church, the land now belong to Rubanda parish hence a property of Kabale diocese.

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