Agricultural researchers accused of encroaching on wetland

Locals in Muko Sub-county of Rubanda District have accused officials from Karengyere Agricultural Research center a branch of the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARO) of encroaching on over 700 acres of land.

The locals say this had rendered over 300 locals in fear of eviction. This comes after their land was surveyed and pillars installed without their consent by officials from Karengyere Agricultural Research center a branch of NARO.

Last week under police protection, Karengyere Agricultural Research Center a branch of NARO led by Manager Ivan Mwesigye accessed land where locals had grown their crops and began marking boundaries for fencing.

They also went ahead to clear trees that were planted by locals. All these actions left residents in fear alleging that officials demarcated land where many have lived for over 30 years and plus.

The disputed land spans over nine villages in Muko Sub- County, include Byeza, Nyamiyaga,Rushekye A,Rushekye B, Karengyere center,Kangano,Igambiro,Rwakangurusi,and Kashambya.

Residentas that include Jasper Burahi, Herbert Muhanguzi, Agnes Tweheyo and Christine Tusingwire accuse the NARO of installing pillars on their land without permission despite having lived for close to 60 years.

Resident further claim that it was only the area chairpersons that were invited to the demarcation process, without clear communication to the locals.

Currently the affected families are now appealing to government to intervene in order to prevent forced evictions.

They have further threatened to take action against anyone who enters their land without permission including top government officials.

“What hurts us most is that we have been born from here, produced from here and having having grand children on this and but now we are seeing NARO coming up waiting to take away our land," a resident said.

"We are hurt because before NARO carried out markings on the land, it should have first engaged we the locals and also village councils and inform them first on what is going to happen.

"We'll not allow any NARO officials or even any official from government to back in our land."

Ivan Mwesigye, manager of Karengyere Agricultural Research center noted that NARO is conducting a nationwide demarcation of all their land.

He said the disputed land has had a title since 1922 and questioned why many locals have not processed their own land titles.

Mwesigye also says that the sub-county and district leadership were informed in writing about the demarcation process.

“NARO is doing boundary openings for all NARO lands all over the country, then also surveying NARO lands which are not surveyed," he said.

. There is no one who is having a land title on that land, if they think we didn’t tell them, for us we have a method when am delivering a letter in your office, I bring a photo copy then you stamp it that you have received it, we have all those copies. They knew everything. Mwesigye explained.

The Muko sub-county internal security officer Bruno Musiimenta and Muko Sub- County chairperson Patrick Abeneiwe Mukwete say that as security officials they were no informed about NARO#s demarcation process. They promised to issue to higher authorities for possible resolutions.