LAND DISPUTES ESCALATE IN RUKUNGIRI, AUTHORITIES THREATENED TO LOSE LIVES

By Ronald Kabanza

www.mknewslink.com

In Rukungiri

Disputes over land ownership in Rukungiri district are escalating into violent episodes as more population scramble for the scarce resource.

As the rich and poor people continue to secure their plots of land by looking for land titles and producing children, the region has continued to experience increased competition over land ownership resulting into serious violence.

The most recent incident is between Hanura Kanyike Buni a resident of Kabale cell Kicwamba parish Ruhinda sub- county Rukungiri district and Posinano Ngabirano, the director Capital shoppers’ super market.

The disputed land measures approximately 1 hectare and it houses the family of Hanura who is said to have stayed on this land for 58 years. Hanura said that he was born from this land and the grave of his father and mother are also on the same piece of land.

Hanura a disabled who has 32 children and 4 wives told our reporter that he has been fighting for land since 2018 and he once reported this issue to office of the resident district commissioner but he was not assisted.

He added that Ngabirano is now hiring people to stone his house at night and threatening to take his life if he persists.

Dan Kaguta, the Rukungiri district resident district commissioner, told our reporter that he is aware of this issue saying that Hanura visited his office seeking assistance.

Kaguta added that he wrote a letter to the sub- county court to sit in Hanura’s issue advising him to visit his office again instead of demonstrating.

In May last year, Christopher Turyarugyoa was arrested by police over land issues under the orders of  Brain Niwagaba who had interests of grabbing the land for the blind which was donated by Uganda foundation for blind to act as a settlement scheme .

A 24 hectare land was given to the blind people to settle on and do their activities for survival by the Austrian government under Uganda foundation for the blind in 1960’s.

In February last year, Isaac Nabimanya grabbed 14 hectares of land that belonged to Buyanja sub- county local government.

This land is located on plot No.1553 Rubabo block at Nyakabungo Kyato in Buyanja sub- county Rukungiri district and has been in fights for over ten years between the sub- county leadership and tenant who leased the land from the sub- County for years at 500,000shs but later forged land titles.

Last year, an envelope containing a letter and live bullets was dropped at Rukungiri district chief magistrate offices threatening him,  some lawyers and the district police commander to stop dealing with land cases if not lose their lives.

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