More than 800 residents of Kyembogo Cell in Kalangala Ward, Bisheshe Division, Ibanda Municipality, are facing the threat of eviction after local authorities discovered that the land they occupy is legally registered in the names of private individuals.
The revelation emerged during the implementation of the Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification (SLAAC) project, a government programme intended to formalise land ownership and protect lawful occupants from displacement.
Bisheshe Division Chairperson Johnson Kanyomozi said at least 813 residents are now at risk after efforts to help them acquire land titles stalled during the verification process.
“When the government rolled out the Systematic Land Adjudication project, we believed it would finally help our people acquire land titles and secure their homes,” Kanyomozi told the Nile Post.
“However, during the verification process, we discovered that the land had already been titled in the names of wealthy individuals, which forced us to halt the exercise.”
He warned that the development has left hundreds of families vulnerable, many of whom have lived on the land for years and invested in homes and livelihoods without knowledge of competing claims.
“This is a very serious situation. Over 800 people are now living in fear of eviction,” Kanyomozi said. “If no urgent intervention is made, this matter could easily escalate into a humanitarian crisis.”
The division chairperson also raised concerns that some of the land in question may originally have been public land, allegedly encroached on and later registered by private individuals.
“There are also cases where government land has been claimed by wealthy individuals who went ahead to process titles,” he said.
“We are appealing to the Ministry of Lands to step in, investigate these irregularities, and protect land meant for public use.”
Residents of Kyembogo Cell say the uncertainty surrounding land ownership has created widespread anxiety, with families unsure where they would relocate if evictions are enforced.
Local leaders are now calling on the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and other relevant authorities to urgently investigate the circumstances under which the land was titled and to find a lasting solution that balances legal ownership with the protection of long-standing and vulnerable occupants.
