By Angel Lubowa
Kampala
President Museveni had Intervened the contested land in Lwankonge village, Kiboga East where a group of departed Asians are tussling it out with Mr. Badiru Mwanje.
During the meeting, the Presidential Advisor- Police Affairs, Ms. Susan Kasingye informed the President that the land dispute is a matter of double titling, premature eviction and uncoordinated enforcement.
“Your Excellency, Mr. Mwanje Badiru holds a mailo title for this land dating about 30 years and more but there are departed Asians who have a freehold title dating back in the 1930s. Mwanje has occupied the land but recently somebody called Patrick Ainebyona came in the representative capacity of those Indians and said that Mwanje shouldn’t be on this land .He brought the title and put the matter with the police so the police asked the DPP to advise. The DPP, among other other issues, advised that they should open boundaries,” she explained.
She said that,“when they came for the exercise, hardly a day after Ainebyona and his group came here and used that chance to evict Mr. Mwanje. The case has not been determined by police or court and even by the time of eviction there was no report for boundary opening exercise . Brig. Lukyamuzi came with his team and are guarding it.
However after President gathering evidence from various locals , he noted that it was wrong for Mr. Ainebyona to evict Mr. Mwanje without following the law.
“Even if I had not given a directive on land evictions in 2022, when there’s a dispute, who decides the rightful owner of the land? It is the Court. Those who wanted to evict Mwanje should have gone to court to decide whether Mwanje stays or leaves. That was common sense. For the title, the Ministry of Lands can cancel it if it was given out fraudulently but in order to do that, you must listen to both parties,” he said.
He further wondered where Mr. Ainebyona and his group got the powers to evict someone, describing their action as usurping powers of the country.
He said, “Brig. Henry Isoke (State House Anti- Corruption Unit head) is going to handle those matters. He is going to get statements from all of you.
Additionally, the President ordered the arrest of Mr. Ainebyona, and trespassers (Ainebyona and group) off the contested land and directed Mr. Mwanje to reoccupy the property as the law takes its course.
On her part, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba said the land measures 640 acres and from what they have in the system it was registered first in 1932 under Chikamchadi Shaar Limited, a freehold title and they came back and got their certificate of repossession in 1992.
The Head of the Anti- Corruption Unit, Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke said Mr. Ainebyona is likely to face charges of forceable entry , criminal trespass, malicious damage as well as theft and assault after some residents unearthed evidence of assault against Mr. Ainebyona and his men.
Kiboga East Member of Parliament, Hon. Keefa Kiwanuka informed the President that during the eviction, Mr. Ainebyona beat him up and ordered him to undress before realising that he was the area legislator.
The LC1 Chairperson LC1 of Lwankonge, Ham Kizza thanked President Museveni for intervening in the land wrangle that has taken ages without being solved.
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