The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has deployed soldiers to three villages in Lwemiyaga County following escalating and increasingly violent land conflicts that have left several people injured and raised fears of further bloodshed.
The deployment covers Ntyazo, Lyengoma and Kakinga villages in Nabitanga Sub-county, where long-standing land disputes have intensified in recent months. Military authorities say the operation is aimed at restoring peace, preventing forced evictions and supporting law enforcement agencies as government seeks a lasting solution.
The latest intervention follows violent clashes at Kakinga Farm, a disputed property linked to livestock farmer Paul Ssembeguya. The farm sits on land allocated to him by government in 2005 for a goat multiplication project intended to improve livestock breeds and support rural incomes.
According to military officials, the deployment was ordered after repeated clashes between farmers occupying the land and security guards attached to the farm.
The recent unrest culminated in a night-time confrontation that left several people injured, including retired soldier Robert Dhikusooka. The violence reportedly stemmed from disagreements over the status of hundreds of tenant farmers who claim they are facing eviction after years of cultivation.
The Commander of the Armoured Division, Brig. Gen. Jackson Pande Kajoba, visited the area following the clashes and announced that soldiers would be stationed in the affected villages under the command of Gen. Joseph Kamwendo.
Speaking to residents, Kajoba said the military presence was intended to maintain order and ensure that no further evictions take place while investigations and government consultations continue.
“These soldiers are not working under any individual. They will support the police to ensure that no one forcibly evicts another person. Orders will come from the Commander of Land Forces, acting on instructions from the Chief of Defence Forces,” Kajoba said.
He emphasized that all occupants should remain in place until competent government institutions determine the rightful course of action.
“Everyone should stay where they are as we wait for the relevant authorities to assess and resolve these disputes. The army is not a court of law. Those who know the facts and have the legal mandate will come and make the appropriate decisions,” he added.
A dispute rooted in a government project
At the center of the conflict is approximately two square miles of land in Kakinga, which government allocated to Ssembeguya in 2005 for a goat breeding and multiplication programme.
The project was designed to improve Uganda’s goat industry through crossbreeding local stock with high-value imported breeds, including Boer and Savannah goats from South Africa. Government reportedly invested about Shs6.5 billion in the initiative under poverty alleviation programmes.
According to officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, the project was intended to serve as a model breeding centre while creating opportunities for local farmers through partnerships and improved livestock production.
However, after the programme slowed down, farmers were reportedly allowed to settle on portions of the land under tenancy arrangements, cultivating crops and sharing part of their harvest with farm management.
Over time, relations between the parties deteriorated.
Farmers accuse Ssembeguya of taking excessive portions of their produce, destroying crops through uncontrolled livestock grazing and attempting to evict them from land they have occupied for years. Ssembeguya, however, accuses some tenants of breaching agreements, trespassing, stealing livestock and attacking his workers.
Land title under investigation
The dispute has attracted attention from senior government officials.
Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze instituted a commission of inquiry and ordered investigations into the processing of a land title covering the disputed property.
In a March 24, 2026 letter to Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba, Tumwebaze directed that the alleged titling process be halted pending investigations.
“I have set up a technical committee under my ministry headed by the Undersecretary to investigate all these claims. The outcome will guide administrative action,” Tumwebaze stated.
He questioned why a land title was allegedly being processed through the Masaka Zonal Lands Office without the consent of the Ministry of Agriculture, despite the land being tied to a government-supported project.
Tumwebaze described the reported process as potentially fraudulent, noting that his ministry had received multiple complaints over attempts to transfer ownership of the land without proper authorization.
According to ministry records, a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2013 between the Ministry of Agriculture and Ssembeguya established the framework for the goat breeding programme, later renewed twice before expiring in 2025.
The minister maintains that the land remains under government control pending clarification of its legal status.
Parallel disputes in Ntyazo and Lyengoma
The military deployment also extends to Ntyazo and Lyengoma villages, where more than 100 families are reportedly facing eviction amid separate land disputes spanning decades.
Residents say the conflicts have persisted for over 40 years and have repeatedly attracted intervention from political leaders, security agencies and government institutions.
The matter was recently escalated to President Yoweri Museveni, who directed the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, headed by Brig. Edith Nakalema (or responsible authority as applicable), to investigate.
Former State Minister for Lands Sam Mayanja had earlier recommended a negotiated settlement to achieve a win-win outcome for all parties.
Hundreds of families currently occupy the disputed land, many of whom migrated from districts including Rakai, Mubende, Ntungamo, Isingiro, Ibanda, Iganga and Kamuli. Many have lived and cultivated there for years.
The deployment has temporarily calmed tensions, but uncertainty remains over the future of both settlers and the government-backed livestock project.
As investigations by the Ministries of Agriculture and Lands continue, residents, leaders and security agencies hope for a lasting resolution to disputes that have fueled fear, violence and instability in Lwemiyaga for years.
For now, soldiers patrol the affected villages, but key questions remain unresolved: who legally owns the land, what rights do settlers hold, and how should government balance investment, public interest and livelihoods in the area?