Prime Minister stops eviction of 87-year-old woman
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja (2nd L) chats with Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba while inspecting the disputed land in Masaka City on Sunday, February 12, 2023. PHOTOs | GERTRUDE MUTYABA
What you need to know:
- The disputed land measuring 6.5 acres, located at Kasijjagirwa Village, Masaka City pits Nakanwagi’s family and two businessmen, Mr Francis Mbuga and Mr Deus Kakeeto who claim to have bought the land.
Ms Aisha Nakanwagi, 87 and her relatives can breathe a sigh of relief after Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja halted all activities on a piece of land of which the family claims ownership.
The disputed land measuring 6.5 acres, located at Kasijjagirwa Village, Masaka City pits Nakanwagi’s family and two businessmen, Mr Francis Mbuga and Mr Deus Kakeeto who claim to have bought the land.
Last month, the Masaka Chief Magistrate Sylvia Nvanungi made a ruling on the matter and ordered the eviction of Nakanwagi’s family unless she pays a fine of Shs50m to Kakeeto and Kalega who sold their interests to Mbuga.
But while inspecting the disputed land on Sunday Ms Nabbanja asked both warring parties not to do anything with the land and condemned the actions of destroying houses and plantations belonging to Nakanwagi’s family. Available documents indicate that the eviction order was issued on January 25 and enforced three days later.
Ms Nabbanja revealed that Chief Justice Mr Alfonse Owiny-Dollo will review the court judgment to establish whether it was passed following the rightful procedures or not.
“Let court do its work, we need only those who were occupying this land to stay on it as our investigations commence immediately,” Ms Nabbanja said.
Ms Nakanwagi reiterated her claims that Ms Nvanungi made a ruling on the matter and ordered eviction without visiting the locus.
One of the houses which were put down by the evictors.
Minister for Lands Mr Judith Nabakooba asked the Prime Minister to punish whoever is behind the destruction of Nakanwagi’s family property.
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She blamed local leaders for failing to inform her Ministry about such a dispute which had existed for over 15 years.
"I have received very many complaints from Masaka about land matters, but not about this piece of land which has come to an extent of killing each other. We have to investigate this matter to the bottom because it seems the village leadership connived with the rich people to deprive the poor family of their ancestral land," Ms Nabakooba said.
Last Friday, the Minister for Presidency Mary Babirye Babalanda suspended Mr Katende over failure to execute the presidential directive on land evictions.
It is alleged that Mr Katende aided the eviction of Nakanwagi’s family from its ancestral land.
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In his defence, Mr Katendewho had just served in the position for 11 months, said: “I did nothing wrong. I was only enforcing a court order.”
