What next for Lusanja residents after court orders their second eviction?

A dark cloud on Friday hanged over the heads of residents of Lusanja when court ruled that businessman, Medard Kiconco was the rightful owner of the land they occupy.

In October 2018, over 300 families were left homeless after a controversial eviction at Kyadondo, block 206, plot 271 in Lusanja,

Following the eviction, there was outrage that attracted the attention of a number of people including President Museveni who made an impromptu visit to the said land but early this year, the High Court in Kampala ruled that the eviction was done illegally, promoting Kiconco to go to court seeking for orders confirming him as the rightful owner of the said land and residents thought the court could reinstate them on their land.

However, Justice Tadeo Asiimwe in a judgment read by the registrar ruled that Kiconco was the rightful owner of the contentious land after buying it from Paul Bitarabeho and ordered the residents to vacate the land within a period of 30 days from the day of the judgment.

A sombre mood would engulf the court room that had been filled to capacity by the affected residents who were more than 100 in number and many of them were seen wailing after the judgment.

“I suffered to construct my house for many years and someone comes to say the land does not belong to me! How can that be,” said Christine Kabakuma, one of the residents on the contentious land.

“Since the ruling, we have not eaten, neither have we slept because we don’t know what the future is. We have nowhere to go.”

The residents who are more than 120 in number insist they are the rightful owners of the land, having bought it from Crispa Bitarabeho, a brother to Paul Bitarabeho but according to the Friday judgment, these were duped into buying air.

The judge said Crispa Bitarabeho was never the administrator of the land and therefore had no powers to sell the same.

However, according to locals, they will not move an inch away from the land.

“I gave birth to my last born last year while the demolition was going on. I have nowhere to go with my family of six children. I am going to get one of the tents provided by government and sleep where my house used to be,” said a wailing Prossy Nansubuga.

“President Museveni should come to our rescue. He should intervene in the matter or else we are ready to die for our land up to the last person standing.”

For Edirisa Sseremba, it is unimaginable to start a new life after being forced off the piece of land he bought a few years ago off his savings from his boda boda business.

“I don’t know how to start over. I don’t know where to go, neither the village nor friend’s places. How am I going to start a new life,”Sseremba wondered.

Speaking shortly after the judgment on Friday, lawyer Erias Lukwago said the judgment was not fair at all.

“The judge himself admitted there was confusion on the boundaries of the land . How can that be a fault of the residents? We presented all evidence but the judgment was not fair at all to us,”Lukwago said.

He noted that they would appeal against the Friday judgment.

However, businessman Medard Kiconco said the judgment will allow him develop his land that had been hindered by the presence of residents.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2019/10/04/court-rules-kiconco-is-the-rightful-owner-of-lusanja-land-residents-given-30-days-to-vacate/