10 families face homelessness, armed land grabbers in Wakiso

The purported landlords identified as Augustine Kateebe and Julius Kyakulaga are claiming ownership of the land that the residents say has been their home for over 50 years. It is reported that Kateebe and Kyakulaga, the purported landlords, stormed the village with armed men in the wee hours and instructed a grader to level the vegetation.

10 families are looking at eviction and among these are elderly women between ages 70 and 85.

Ezeresi Namukasa and Robina Nabatanzi, two of the said elderly women, said that the land belonged to their late father and has shrunk from 12 acres to five acres under such encroachment.

The two alleged perpetrators reportedly have not presented any document to prove their ownership but have used force and threats to keep the residents compliant with their intentions.

Nabatanzi said that the attempts to evict them began with arrests.

Her husband, Jonathan Senfuka Katula, plus one other colleague were arrested under dubious charges but police did not respond on the matter when it was reported. One Peter Kato also suffered the same fate.

Following these arrests, the assailants started claiming ownership of the land.

In another incident, another resident identified as Dan Mawejje, said that armed men attacked their homes and locked them inside their houses to stop protests.

In all this, residents say that police has been silent about their plight.

Mende sub-county Vice-chairperson, Mathias Ssemuju, asked the Ministry of Lands to intervene, saying that any delay on the matter might result in bloodshed in their area. Similar cases have been witnessed in neighbouring villages of Serinnya and Mabombwe, he said.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, confirmed the dispute but lacked detailed information.

Also, the Wakiso District Resident Commissioner, Justine Mbabazi, said she did not know the details of the case.