Residents of Mwererwe village in Gombe Division, Nansana Municipality, staged a protest over what they describe as an unbearable stench emanating from a farm owned by Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga of Christian Life Church. The protest follows the death of more than 500 pigs, which locals claim were dumped in the community.
Gathering at the farm entrance with placards, residents demanded that the farm be relocated, accusing Pastor Ssenyonga of repeatedly ignoring their complaints and showing no regard for their wellbeing.
“This is not the first time we are raising this issue. The smell has become too much for us,” one resident said. “But whenever we complain, the pastor mocks us and tells us that if we are tired of living here, we should leave so he can buy our land.”
Local leaders, led by councilor Ssebbaale Sekate, expressed frustration over the worsening situation.
“The stench has gone beyond control. We have asked that the farm be moved, but instead of listening, the pastor threatens people and boasts of being a powerful man in the country,” Sekate stated.
Residents took reporters to the dumping site where pigs were piled in heaps. They explained that when it rains, contaminated water flows into the nearby stream, a source of water for many locals.
“Anyone who passes here must cover their nose. The smell is too strong,” one resident said.
The stench has also affected places of worship. At Our Lady of Assumption Mwererwe Catholic Church, catechist Namusoke Angel reported that Mass had to be canceled.
“Yesterday, the deputy parish priest, Fr. Simon Kabenge, was forced to stop Mass because the stench was unbearable. People were covering their noses, and the priest left feeling sick,” she explained.
Residents have appealed to the President to intervene, accusing Pastor Ssenyonga of refusing to engage with local authorities.
“He says no one can tell him what to do and that we should vacate the area so he can buy it,” one resident claimed.
Schools in the area have also been affected, with administrators reporting that children can no longer attend classes due to the foul smell. Some residents, who preferred not to appear on camera, alleged that sausage makers had been coming to collect some of the dead pigs despite their high numbers.
Gombe Division Mayor Kasiriivu Ronald Kabembula confirmed that his office and the division council have repeatedly written to Pastor Ssenyonga regarding the matter.
“We have long raised this issue with him, but he ignores our letters,” the mayor said.
He urged the pastor to at least move the pigs away from the community.
“If he cannot resolve the issue, he should take the pigs to the church premises so that the church, not the entire community, relocates,” Kabembula suggested.
Pastor Ssenyonga refused to comment on the matter.