President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has intervened in a long-standing land dispute in Kiboga District, located in Lwankonge village, Kiboga East. The dispute involves a contested piece of land between a group of departed Asians and local resident Mr. Badiru Mwanje.
During a meeting to address the matter, the Presidential Advisor for Police Affairs, Ms. Susan Kasingye, briefed the President on the issue, noting that it stems from a case of double titling, premature eviction, and uncoordinated enforcement.
“This is the land dispute you saw on the news last Wednesday when you were in Masindi for the wealth creation tour. You had asked me to inform Dr. Keefa and mobilize for your visit to resolve the issue. Mr. Mwanje holds a mailo title for the land that dates back over 30 years, while the departed Asians have a freehold title from the 1930s,” Ms. Kasingye explained.
She continued, “Mwanje has occupied the land for years, but recently, a man named Patrick Ainebyona, representing the departed Asians, claimed that Mwanje should vacate the land. He presented the freehold title and involved the police, leading to a directive from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to open the boundaries. However, before the boundary exercise was completed, Ainebyona’s group used the opportunity to evict Mr. Mwanje, despite the case not being resolved by the police or the courts.”
President Museveni emphasized that it was wrong for Mr. Ainebyona to evict Mr. Mwanje without due legal process. “Even if I hadn’t issued a directive in 2022 regarding land evictions, in any land dispute, it is the court that must decide who the rightful owner is. If you want to challenge someone’s title, you must go to court. You had no right to evict anyone without following the law. This process was aborted, causing unnecessary damage.”
The President also questioned where Mr. Ainebyona’s group derived their authority to evict a landowner, stating, “I, as the President, do not have the power to evict anyone. The police can only implement decisions made by the courts or the Ministry of Lands. They cannot cancel a title or order an eviction.”
In light of the situation, President Museveni ordered all parties involved to provide statements. “Brigadier Henry Isoke from the Anti-Corruption Unit will gather statements from all parties. Mr. Ainebyona and his group should be removed from the contested land, and Mr. Mwanje will return to the property while the law takes its course.”
The President further instructed legal action to be taken against those responsible, stating, “We will institute legal charges, and the relevant authorities will review the land titles. In the meantime, the police must maintain law and order to ensure that the current resolution is upheld.”
The Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, clarified that the contested land, which spans 640 acres, was first registered in 1932 under Chikamchadi Shaar Limited, with a freehold title. The Ministry records indicate that the land was later registered under different names, including Peresika Nakayenga in 1989, and subsequently transferred to Mr. Mwanje in 1999.
“The title for Mr. Mwanje is still pending in the system, and further investigations are required to clarify the land parcel details,” Minister Nabakooba said. She also reaffirmed that the eviction was unlawful and violated the President’s 2022 directive on land disputes.
Dr. Sam Mayanja, the Minister of State for Lands, emphasized that the matter was mishandled, highlighting the disregard for the law and due processes. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms. Jane Frances Abodo, noted that further investigation is needed to determine the exact plot being contested and is awaiting a survey report from the Lands Ministry.
Brigadier General Henry Isoke, the Head of the Anti-Corruption Unit, revealed that Mr. Ainebyona could face charges including forcible entry, criminal trespass, malicious damage, theft, and assault, as evidence of mistreatment during the eviction surfaced.
Kiboga East Member of Parliament, Hon. Keefa Kiwanuka, shared his personal experience during the eviction, where Mr. Ainebyona physically assaulted him and demanded that he undress, only realizing later that he was the local MP.
The LC1 Chairperson of Lwankonge, Ham Kizza, expressed gratitude to President Museveni for his intervention, stating that local leaders had made numerous attempts to resolve the issue but had reached an impasse.
