Kasese Muslims resist eviction

Muslims in Mpondwe-Lhubiriha town council in Kasese district have staged violent protest over a court order issued to business man Migdad Saad evicting them from a piece of land.

Wielding sticks, machetes, pangs and slashes, the angry Muslims were baying for the blood of Saad who they accuse of using fraudulent means to grab their property.

Anti-riot police ready to disperse the rowdy Muslims

 
On Friday Muslims staged demonstrations at Rwenzori Saad Islamic institute which forced the anti-riot police to seal off the school premises.

The Muslims allege that Saad wants to evict them from over ten acres of land and take possession of the school which belongs to the Muslim community.

Arafat Kisembo, the headmaster of Rwenzori Saad Islamic institute said that the court order was not proper and vowed never to allow Saad and his group to take over the land.

 
"This school and the land are properties of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council and our duty is to protect them. We shall not allow any body to use fraudulent means to take them," said Kisembo.

The Kasese district Kadhi, Sheik Abdul Hakim Juma also said that the school is a Muslim property and vowed never to allow any body to temper with it.
 
During the demonstration, furious Muslims set up fire in the school compound near the Mosque and carried a Janaza (dead body carrier for Muslims throughout the village in protest.

 
However Bwera division police commander, Vincent Mwesigye halted the eviction exercise on ground that there were some loopholes discovered in the eviction order issued by the Fort Portal High Court.

"The Court bailiff who had come to enforce the court order has discovered some inconsistences in the order issued by the court. We have advised him to go back and rectify the order," said Mwesigye.

 Protesters camp at the mosque

He also advised the Muslims to avoid violence and instead go to court and challenge the order.

On September 2, 2016 the Fort Portal High Court ordered the cancellation of the land title in the names of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.

Haji Migdad Saad(C) who secured the court order to evict the Muslims from the land and the school

 
"In line with the judgment and decree of the Chief Magistrate's Court in Kasese in the civil suit number 002 of 2006, the land title in respect of plot 26 blocks 26 Bukonjo Kasese in the name of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council is cancelled," reads an order signed by the High Court Judge.

The High Court ordered for a fresh title bearing the names of the board of governors, Rwenzori Saad Islamic institute.

 Police engaging some of the protesters