Ugandan businessman Abid Alam’s name has been linked to an attack in Mubende district.
The attack which happened on Saturday, left a head of a family with injuries on his head.
The attack stems from a land wrangle which locals claim Alam of Indian origin orchestrated.
DETAILS
The family of a one Arthur Mugyenyi has occupied a piece of land in Bukoba in Kakungube subcounty since the year 2007 when he purchased it from its former owner.
After purchasing this piece of land, Mugyenyi fenced it off, constructed a water dam, cleared the shrubs, grew a banana plantation, constructed permanent houses among others.
All was well, till Abid Alam of Indian origin surfaced around 2013 to claim ownership of this same piece of land.
He allegedly led the demolishment of the fence of the land and in a series of attacks the family lost animals and plants.
Last Saturday (April 4, 2020), was the climax, a mob of about 50 or so people attacked the same home with machetes, cut down a banana plantation, looted everything they could lay their hands on around the home, demolished houses, burnt down the goats shelter, hacked cows and goats taking off with some of them and all home equipment including clothes, utensils etc.
Luckily, all the occupants who included a man, Emmanuel Kyakabare, his wife and children all survived but the man was injured, a woman is suspected to have been raped though it hasn’t been confirmed due to limited movement because of quarantine.
It is not the first time Alam’s name has been cited in land wrangle in the area.
Abid has been previously accused of terrorising residents of Bukooba, Bukompe, Kika A & B, Rwamasanga, Kabagala in Mubende district, who, he has allegedly been forcefully evicted from their land since 2008.
In 2008, more than 700 families of Bukooba-Kasawo village petitioned President Museveni for his intervention after they accused police of colluding with Abid and his agents to effect what they called illegal eviction.
In January, President Museveni revealed that the time had come for the government to take up the cry of the people of Mubende after he was convinced that they are the rightful owners of the contested 12 square miles of the land in question having purchased it from Mubende land office.
