By Sarah Mukasa
BUSHENYI
Presidential Assistant on Special Duties Phionah Barungi has intervened in a land dispute involving evicting residents of six villages in Nyabubare Sub- County, Bushenyi District, on over approximately 640 acres.
Barungi intervened during the factfinding Locus visit on the disputed kibanja . Barungi had a meeting with residents from Kahungye I, Kahungye II, Nkuuna II, Kiyagara I, Kitojo I and Kitojo II villages in Kahungye Parish, where residents complained about threats to evict them from the land they occupy.
In the peption m rsidents alleged there was an outcry over alleged impending unlawful eviction from their bibanja located in villages of Kahugye 1, They alleged that Gearge Kikooko , Didas Rubategyera and others are attempting to evict them from their bibanja which they have occupied for over 100 years as a result of a court case between Kitutu and Kikooko’s group yet they were not parties in to the court case proceedings nor derive interest from them .
The residents allege that a group of four people, led by Kahungye I LC1 chairperson Tumuheirwe Yoramu, is attempting to take control of the land.
The dispute involves Kitutu Enoch, a resident of the area, and dates back to a court case over approximately 18 acres of land.
Kitutu said he bought the 18 acres from his late uncle in 1985 for Shs350.
“My late uncle sold me the land. However, before I bought it, there was a dip tank on part of the land, where farmers used to take their cattle for dipping,” Kitutu said.
He said his late uncle had allowed the farmers to use the space for the dip tank after they complained about travelling long distances to the sub-county headquarters to dip their cattle.
Kitutu said the farmers later started claiming ownership of the land where the dip tank was located.
He said their claim over the land was different from his ownership of the 18 acres he bought from his late uncle.
The farmers took Kitutu to court in 2015 over the 18-acre dispute.
The case was heard at the Bushenyi High Court, which delivered its judgment on December 22, 2021.
However, the farmers have since expanded their claim to approximately 640 acres, bringing residents from the six villages into the dispute.
Edward Ishungisa, the LC1 chairperson for Nkuuna II, said residents were living in fear of losing their homes and property and appealed to the Government to intervene.
Peace Kansiime Tibigwisa, from the Office of the National Coordinator for Greater Bushenyi, criticised the handling of the case, saying the judge delivered the judgment without visiting the locus, referring to the disputed land.
The Bushenyi District Deputy Resident Commissioner William Donanto Kasigazi told Barungi that land grabbers sometimes take advantage of residents who have limited access to legal services.
He said some residents are disadvantaged because they cannot afford to travel to distant courts, including Mbarara and Kampala, where some cases are transferred.
“Sometimes you find that residents do not know the date for mentioning the case or judgment because they do not report to court due to the long distances,” he said.
State House petition.
The dispute had earlier been taken to the Office of the President.
In a letter dated July 15, 2025, members of the Karama Dip Tank Farmers Association petitioned President Yoweri Museveni over the approximately 640 acres.
According to the letter, the farmers alleged that Kituutu had refused to vacate the land despite the judgment delivered by Bushenyi High Court on December 22, 2021.
The letter summoned Kitutu and other parties to a meeting at State House on August 1, 2025, before State House counsel Ayebare Glorious, to discuss how the dispute could be resolved.
It also directed that transactions involving the disputed land be put on hold until the matter was resolved.
However, Barungi disputed the State House letter, saying it was not signed by Flora Kiconco, the Principal Private Secretary to the President.
“When you look at this letter, it was signed on Kiconco’s behalf. When such letters are signed on someone’s behalf, they should bear the name and signature of the person who actually signed them,” Barungi said.
“Secondly, if it was Kiconco, as someone who works in the President’s office, she would not have signed such a letter to evict residents, yet she knows that evictions were halted by the President,” she added.
Barungi said residents should not be evicted from the disputed land before the matter is properly resolved through the relevant legal and administrative processes.
Barungi warns LC1 chairpersons.
Barungi also warned LC1 chairpersons against involving themselves in land grabbing and said those who interfere in land matters unlawfully would be arrested.
“In most land cases, LC1 chairpersons mess up in handling such matters. I will start arresting them because they don’t want to listen. The President said this is Kisanja - no sleep and no corruption.
Therefore, we shall whip out LC1 chairpersons who mess up land matters,” she said.
