By State Minister of Lands Dr. Sam Mayanja has intervened to stop the eviction of more than 20,000 residents in Kabaale Sub-county, Hoima District, from their ancestral land, following rising tensions over ownership claims by the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.
Addressing residents at Nzorobi Trading Centre, Dr. Mayanja assured the affected families from the villages of Ngemwa, Nyakasinini, Kigaaga B, Nzorobi, and Nkwaki that no one would be forced off their land. He urged them to resume agricultural activities and continue living peacefully on the land, which borders Bugoma Forest Reserve.
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The land in dispute, approximately 10 square miles, has been home to the community since the 1940s. Trouble began in January this year when Kingdom officials reportedly arrived with surveyors attempting to demarcate the land without community consent. The move sparked fears of eviction, prompting many to abandon their homes and farmlands.
However, the Minister revealed that after meeting with Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom officials, it was made clear that the Kingdom does not claim ownership of the land where the residents are settled. “The Kingdom itself has denied owning this land,” Mayanja said, before directing Hoima District Police to arrest a man identified as Joseph Twegonze, accused of masquerading as a Kingdom land officer and threatening locals with eviction.
A letter from the Kingdom disowned Twegonze, labeling him an impostor. “He is not our land officer,” the letter stated, leading the Minister to order his immediate arrest. Despite this, Twegonze maintains he was officially appointed by the Omukama as Lands and Forest Supervisor.
Local leaders have welcomed the minister’s intervention but also called for further action. Bugahya County MP Pius Wakabi questioned the legitimacy of the Kingdom’s claims and urged the government to issue free land titles to long-settled residents to protect them from future land grabs.
Hoima LC5 Chairperson Uthman Mubarak Mugisa reported that illegal evictions are becoming rampant in the district. He appealed to the Minister to revoke fraudulently acquired titles and ensure the issuance of affordable land titles for locals.
Residents like Nathan Aheebwa shared their fears, saying many families have lived in panic since the January incident. “We have not had peace. Some people even began moving away, fearing eviction,” he said.
Kikuube Resident District Commissioner Amlan Tumusiime clarified that while the government has returned some properties to the Bunyoro Kingdom—such as the Kyangwali ancestral land the land in Nzorobi Parish is not among them.
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Notably, Bunyoro Kingdom officials did not attend the public meeting with the Minister and residents, raising further questions about their position. Previously, Kingdom Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga had told the media that the institution was merely inspecting land near Bugoma Forest and had no intention of displacing anyone.
The Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom owns substantial land in the region, including a controversial 99-year lease of 22 square miles to Hoima Sugar Ltd for sugarcane growing near Bugoma Central Forest Reserve.
