President Museveni has intervened in a long-standing land dispute in Sembabule District, directing his senior presidential advisor on anti-corruption, Rebecca Atwine, to investigate the contested land in Ntyazo , Lwemiyaga Sub-county.
The directive follows repeated appeals from residents who claim they have been forcefully evicted from land they have occupied for decades.
More than 100 residents are expected to find relief after the presidential team launched investigations into the dispute, which has affected over 300 people.
Officials from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, led by Rebecca Atwine, met the affected residents during a community meeting held at Ntyazo Pentecostal Church, where many of the displaced families have reportedly been sheltering since their eviction in 2023.
Residents told investigators that they legally bought the land from the family of the late Ezekiel Lwakanyuzi, adding that they followed all procedures and obtained endorsements from local leaders, including LC1 officials.
According to the residents, they had heavily invested in the land by constructing homes, planting crops such as coffee, and rearing livestock including cattle and goats.
However, they claim that the developments were destroyed when they were evicted by Crisensio Mukasa Bagarukayo, who claims ownership of the land.
The disputed land measures about 623 acres and is located on Block 31, Plot 1 in Lyengoma village, Ntyazo Parish, Lwemiyaga Sub-county.
The land has reportedly been under dispute for nearly 40 years between the family of the late Ezekiel Lwakanyuzi and Bagarukayo.
In 2023, tensions escalated when eviction were executed, leading to the demolition of houses and displacement of residents who have since been staying at the church.
Umar Kalanzi who represented the evicted residents, said they had sought help from various government offices without success before petitioning the President.
He noted that the community is now hopeful that the presidential intervention will finally resolve the matter.
Some residents also suggested that if investigations confirm the land legally belongs to Bagarukayo, the government should consider buying the land from him and resettling the occupants in order to restore peace.
But Bagarukayo maintains that the land legally belongs to him, saying he inherited it from his grandfather, Augustine Nakayima.
He alleged that other individuals irregularly acquired land titles and began selling the land to unsuspecting buyers.
Bagarukayo added that he has spent over four decades battling the matter in court and claims to have won several cases related to the dispute.
He has now asked the government to compensate him for the land rather than forcefully taking it, insisting that he cannot accept losing his property.
The newly elected Lwemiyaga Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Rwashande, criticized State Minister for Lands Sam Mayanja for remaining silent on the issue despite several attempts to seek his intervention.
Rwashande said the minister had promised to visit the contested land and meet residents on March 5, 2026, but never showed up.
He urged residents to remain calm as investigations continue and called on security agencies, particularly the police, to ensure the safety of the affected community members.
Atwine confirmed that they gathered key information and would present their findings to the President for further guidance on how the government can assist the affected residents.
The findings are expected to determine the next course of action in resolving the decades-long land conflict, which has left hundreds of families uncertain about their future.
