Families accuse KCCA official of illegal eviction
Probe. Residents of Kasigga and Lwanda in Kapeeke, Nakaseke District during the locus visit by the land probe team on Wednesday. photo BY RACHEL MABALA
Residents of Kasigga and Lwanda in Kapeeke, Nakaseke District on Wednesday told the commission investigating land matters that eight of their colleagues have since died after their livelihood was disrupted following eviction from their land by Ms Doreen Tiberondwa.
Ms Tiberondwa, a procurement officer at Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA), allegedly evicted people and set up a country home, a ranch on the 270 acre piece of the land.
Some of the residents who have reportedly died since 2009 include Nakawunde, Hajj Abbas Sekuuma, Kasasa, John Kiryowa and his son and Nakazana.
However, we were unable to independently verify whether the said people died following evictions or other causes.
“We first received requests to fill forms in 2009 for compensation. Yet we had never requested anybody to come and buy our land,” Mr John Kabanda, 48, a resident of Kasigga, told the commission during a locus visit on Wednesday.
Mr Kabanda owned 60 acres of land that he bought from the late Betty Nagalye.
He said he was framed for stealing Ms Tiberondwa’s three head of cattle to force him off the land.
Mr Kabanda said Mr Martin Kamugisha, Ramathan Katabazi, Abbas Sekuuma and Ssalongo Geoffrey Bakebuga, Kisekka and Katumba, were also arrested on trumped-up charges in a bid to force them off their land.
“We decided to leave to escape torture from Tiberondwa. Our homes were taken and right now I do not know where my wives and children are,” Mr Kabanda said.
Residents said Mr Sempala Topha, a one Mr Sekitoleko, and Ms Christine Katende, who are members of Uganda Industrial Coffee Growers, and claimed to be their landlords, are not known to them.
Mr Kamugisha said he lost 64 acres to Ms Tiberondwa and was charged for trespass in Luwero Chief Magistrates Court where he was sentenced to four years or pay a fine of Shs4.28m. He opted to pay a fine.
“She would drive her cows into my dam instead of drawing water for them to drink. At one time she grazed her cows on 10 acres of maize that was just one month to harvest,” Mr Kamugisha told the probe.
He added that he was forced to flee after he was arrested and locked up at Kapeeka Police Station but when the Resident District Commissioner inquired about his arrest, he was allegedly transferred to Kiwoko Police Station.
Residents asked the probe team to help them get compensation for their land and crops.
Tiberondwa says...
Ms Tiberondwa denied the accusations saying she bought the land at Shs700m and compensated all the claimants. She added that she employs some of the residents on her ranch.
