Govt to compensate Kakungulu family over disputed Mbale land

More than 200,000 families living on 20 square miles of land belonging to the Semei Kakungulu estate in Mbale District have a reason to smile after government said it would compensate the owners to stop their eviction.
The announcement, in fulfilment of President Museveni’s 2011 pledge to the affected residents, was delivered by the Minister of State for Housing, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, at Namanyonyi Sub-county headquarters on Monday.
“We are going to engage the landlords with a view of compensating them so that you live free in your land without eviction threats,” Dr Baryomunsi said, adding they will soon send the chief government valuer to assess the land in question.
Dr Baryomunsi also assured residents that he will write to the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Barasa Ogajo, and direct him to stop any threat or eviction on the said land.
“The landlords have no powers to evict people. NRM government cannot allow that to happen because there are existing lawful procedures to follow,” he said.
Dr Baryomunsi made the remarks during a follow-up mobilisation meeting on the the President’s campaign on Operation Wealth Creation organised by the NRM women league chairperson, Ms Lydia Wanyoto.
The meeting was attended by hundreds of NRM leaders from different sub-counties in the district.
Ms Wanyoto, who formerly served as a Member of Parliament at the East African Legislative Assembly, also donated an ambulance and seedlings.
Mr Jonadabu Keki, the chairperson of Namanyonyi Sub-county, said: “We are happy with the decision but we ask that it should be implemented very fast because my people are living in fear.”
Mr Keki said the colonial government acted with impunity in handing over the land to Kakungulu without compensating the original owners.
“This land was forcibly taken away from our ancestors by the colonial government and given to Kakungulu as token of appreciation without compensation. This was a mistake and it should be corrected,” he said.
Kakungulu, a Buganda Kingdom chief, was a British agent whom the colonialists used to impose their rule in the eastern region.
He died in 1928 and was buried a few metres away from the main Abayudaya Synagogue in Nabweta Parish, Namanyonyi Sub-county in Mbale. His grave remains one of the most visited tourist sites in the region.
Mr Seth Magomu, a resident, said they have been living as squatters for a long time.
“We are now waiting for the day government will finally hand over the land to us so that we can process land titles and develop our land,” he said.
Mr Kadama Walusasa, the NRM chairperson in Namanyonyi Sub-county, said if the land is returned to the residents, the NRM government will be assured of massive support.
Ms Wanyoto said the affected people are in the sub-counties of Namanyonyi, Bukonde and Nakaloke.
“The residents gave me their petition and I delivered it to the concerned government officials for action,” Ms Wanyoto, said.
Kakungulu Estates manager Rachel Kakungulu welcomed the government position but dismissed allegations that they are threatening locals.
“We have no problem selling land to government because we have been doing so,” she said.