12 houses torched in Hoima land wrangle

Police in Hoima have started investigating circumstances under which 12 houses were torched and five people injured in Lenju village Bombo Sub County in Hoima district.

The incident happened on a  two square mile piece of  land that has been contested  between  businessman Abdul Malik Mugisa, and the locals.

The same land is claimed by Beatrice Byenkya Nyakaisiki, the  former chairperson of  Uganda Land Commission.

According to police, the injured are currently receiving treatment at Hoima referral hospital while t two people have so far been arrested including LC 1 chairman for Lenju only identified as Sirinzire as probe continues.

History

In 2017, the late Noah Byenkya Kasigwa the husband to Beatrice Byenkya Nyakaisiki hired  businessman  Abdul Malik Mugisa to come and open boundaries on his five square miles piece of land on Plot 106 , Bugahya block 6, under a lease title of 49 years which was issued on 1 August 1986 that touches Hanga village, Lenju and Kabatindule in Bombo Sub County Hoima district.

However, the said  land had a number of bonafide occupants whose number is said to be about 500 who on sensing a possibility of being evicted, torched the grader to ashes.

This prompted Mugisa run to Hoima court seeking for compensation.

Justice Albert Rugadya Atwooki ordered Noah Byenkya Kasigwa to pay Mugisa shs 640 million that was said to be the cost of the caterpillar or give him  two square miles equivalent to 1800 acres, each valued at shs1,5 million as compensation.

Kasigwa bought the idea  all arrangements were made to have the land given to Mugisa as directed by court, but  due to unknown reasons Mugisa processed the land title in the names of Hakim Hairora .

While he had accepted giving out two square miles, he kept putting it on caviate making it hard for Mugisa to process a title, he again went to court and caviate was removed then he was able to process the title.

After the agreement was made and land title measuring two square miles was given to Abdul Malik Mugisa in the names of Hakim Hairora, in 2018, Noah Byenkya Kasigwa died.

The  wife Beatrice Byenkya Nyakaisiki started reclaiming the two square miles on grounds that they acquired them wrongly leaving over 500 occupants on the land in fear of being evicted.

Meanwhile, the 500 occupants are battlign with Mugisa, with calls to government to compensate the businessman so they can live peacefully.

In the latest fight between the occupants and Mugisa, 12 houses were burnt and five people injured .

Police confirmed the arrest of two people, including an LC one chairman for inciting violence.

"When we heard about the chaos that houses were burnt and people beaten, our men ran to Lenju to confirm indeed it was confirmed that 12 houses were burnt and  10 of these were grass thatched . ," Albertine region police spokesperson, Julius Hakiza said.

He however warned people against taking the law into their hands.

Uthuman Mugisha, the district chairman says, they have  taken over the land issue in Lenju as the district security committee and have called all the parties involved for harmonization.