The pieces of land in conflict are located in Ibuga I, Ngoko, Kisanga and Kyabatukura villages in Kitswamba sub-county and Kabukero in Karusandara sub-county.
At least five
people have been injured following land clashes between cultivators
and cattle keepers in Kasese district. Four others have also been arrested in connection to the clashes.
The pieces of land in conflict are located in Ibuga I,
Ngoko, Kisanga and Kyabatukura villages in Kitswamba sub-county and Kabukero in
Karusandara sub-county.
The injured have been identified as James Kato, Robert
Kakwenza, Dan Mwesige, Alex Kabinga and another one only identified as
Musinguzi.
Cultivators who are
majorly Bakhonzo have been threatening to forcefully occupy the contested land accusing local leaders and the government of not listening to their plight.
Grace Biira the chairperson for Kasese District Inter-coalition
landless group KDILG, said they had earlier warned that they would occupy the land since the government had failed to respond to the issue.
She noted that it is unfortunate that the community lacks
agricultural land because there is no deliberate willingness to settle the
conflicts.
//Cue in: “Tyamabhuwa tuthi…
Cue out: …good bakhabonekha.”//
Richard Asiimwe, the Chairperson for Kabukero Cooperative Society says cultivators attacked their area in the morning constructing makeshift structures on the piece of land and destroying the house belonging to Annet Keruba.
Yofesi Katonene, the
Kitswamba Sub-County Chairperson attributes the unending land conflicts in the
area to the alleged government’s failure to implement the resettlement plan of the landless people in the district.
He noted that while the two
parties claim ownership of the same land, the government has records of who is supposed
to be where.
//Cue in: "Cause yokurwana…
Cue out: ...ekagimaliriza kurungi.”//
The Rwenzori East Regional Police Commander, Danes
Odoch together with the 222 Brigade (Kavera) Commander, Col. Saulo Nabimanya, who visited the area noted that criminal charges will be instituted on all persons involved in the conflict.
//Cue in: "And we are here...
Cue out: ...reasonable force."//
Lt. Joe Walusimbi, the Kasese
Resident District Commissioner has directed the groups to vacate the areas until the government devises a permanent solution.
//Cue in: "We agreed...
Cue out: ..mutoke Nyumbani."//
In 2020, nine
people were severely injured following land-related clashes between Basongora
pastoralists and Bakonzo cultivators in Kabukero village.
The clashes started when a group of Bakonzo armed with spears
and pangas attacked the Basongora pastoralists who were grazing cattle, blowing
up a conflict that had been brewing for years. seven cows were looted during
that raid.
The
two groups have been fighting for over 2,000 acres of land that was given to
them by the government in 2007 for settlement.
The groups are accusing
one another of grabbing each other’s land.
The cultivators successfully sued
the Attorney General and asked the court among others to; order the government, its
agents and the pastoralists out of their land.
According to KDILG, there are more than 13 groups totalling 36,732 people who are landless in the district.
