Nakaseke Land Row: Landlord Injured, 11 Arrested

Angry tenants in Nakaseke district have thumped their landlord and his driver for destroying their property. The Landlord has been identified as Khalid Kayemba, a resident of Njagala Bwami village in Kasangombe Sub County in Nakaseke district. 

Kayemba was assaulted by his tenants on Tuesday morning when he reportedly hired youths from Luweero town council to destroy three acres of bananas and coffee plantations belonging to his tenants at Njagala Bwami.

Some of the affected tenants are Jessica Nakiyaga, Nasim Twemanywe and Emmanuel Ssenyonga. Paul Kangave, the Savannah Region Police Spokesperson, says Kayemba and the youths descended on the plantations armed with machetes and sticks to the chagrin of the tenants.

According to Kangave, the tenants mobilized themselves and confronted the group. Kayemba and his driver sustained multiple injuries and were rushed to Nakaseke hospital in critical condition. He says a team of police officers rushed to the scene from Kasangombe Police station to rescue the landlord and picked up eleven youths in connection to the clash.

The suspects include among others Apollo Asiimwe, Frank Mwesigwa, Medard Mugabe, Abbey Kasangwire, Edison Byaruhanga, Jumah Bukenya and Fred Mugerwa, all residents of Luweero town council. According to Kangave, the suspects are locked up at Kasangombe Police Station on charges of malicious damage to property.

James Makande, the LC 3 Chairperson Kasangombe sub county, says Kayemba acquired the disputed land last year and started threatening to evict the tenants.

//Cue in: "The eviction people…

Cue out:…all are people"//

Luganda Byte 

//Cue in: "era yayise…

Cue out;…nti baveeko"//

James Kibuuka, the area defense secretary, says the affected tenants have been occupying the disputed land for decades, saying it is unfair for the new landlord to evict them without compensation or giving them chance to buy the land. Kibuuka says the affected people are facing hunger and poverty because the crops were their only source of living.

Kibuuka says the landlord must compensate the affected tenants for the damaged property and crops. Land conflicts pitying tenants and against their landlords are not new in Greater Luweero. Last year, angry residents of Bugabo village in Kalagala sub-county in Luweero district burnt a tractor hired by the Buganda kingdom Finance office to evict them from plot 1373 block 17 in Kalagala sub-county.

Trouble started after a group of men armed with machetes and sticks backed by the tractor invaded their gardens and started slashing their groups. The enraged residents responded by burning the tractor. It took the intervention of officers from Bombo Police Station to restore order and at least 16 people.