More than 3000 residents of Nsanvu village in Butoloogo sub-county in Mubende district are living in fear of eviction following the sale of their land by the area LC I chairperson to a private developer.
The residents were shocked to learn that their village chairperson, Lawrence Kyambadde sold off the land measuring three square miles, which they have occupied for years and is now collaborating with the new landlord identified as George Ssemukaaya to evict them.
Jane Francis Nassanga, one of the residents says that attempts to evict them from the village would cause tension because the majority of them do not have anywhere to go.
Joseph Wasswa, another resident says that the new landlord through his agents is coercing him to accept Shs1 million as compensation to vacate his one acre piece of land.
Peter Ssemand, who claims to have occupied the contested land since 2000, says the new landlord is trying to evict them to create space to graze his cattle. He, however, says that he isn’t ready to vacate the land on which he has had his six children.
Falascal Lubwama, another resident says that they are also surprised Kyambadde, who is selling the same land he sold to them many years ago.
However, Kyambadde insists that he only allowed a few people to settle on the land but they went ahead to bring their relatives without his knowledge. Kyambadde says that he has got the documents to certify the existence of the few people he allowed to settle on the land.
Ssemukaaya’s lawyer, Bruhan Ssimbwa says that his client only bought 81 acres of the contested land and not 3 square miles as claimed. Ssimbwa explains that he is making arrangements to ensure that the tenants are compensated or secure land titles for the land they are occupying.
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