Farmers from the area of Nyairongo, Kololo, Rwembaho and Kyererezi in Kabwoya and Nyangwali sub-counties in Kikuube district have reason to smile after they allowed them to harvest their crops.

Hoima Sugar Ltd officials are said to have agreed with the Kikuube district security committee to allow the farmers who planted different crops in the Company land to harvest the crops.

The decision was reached following the farmer’s protest against the denial to access the land to harvest the crops, an issue which left Desire Nkuluzinza   the Chairperson of Nyairongo village in Kabwoya sub-county in Kikuube district arrested, charged and remanded to Kiryateete prison for inciting violence and trespass.

Over 200 farmers are said to have planted crops, including maize, beans and sorghum on 4,370 acres said to be part of Hoima Sugar land. 

According to the farmers, they paid the managers of the land money and allowed them to plant their crops and wonder why they are being denied a chance to harvest their crops.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday while in Hoima town, Amlan Tumusiime said that the district engaged with Hoima Sugar top management and agreed that they should allow the farmers to harvest the maize.

According to RDC Tumusiime the farmers will be allowed to harvest the crops on condition that they will not go back to cultivate and plant any crops in the land.

He said that this is the third season the Company is pardoning the farmers to harvest the crops because they enter and plant the crops on the land illegally.

He noted that the depleted land is part of the green zone which National Environment Authority (NEMA) ordered Hoima Sugar to store after thousands of people invaded the area to cut timbers, burning charcoal and growing crops such maize, bean and sorghum.

He added that the district security committee is in discussion with NEMA to deploy environment police in the area to protect and guard people from encroaching on the area.

He noted that the Kikuube district security committee has evicted the encroachers from the land but they go away for a few days and they return.

Vicente Opio, the Kikuube district Vice Chairman and council for Kabwoya sub-county expressed excitement about the development adding as leaders they have been under pressure from the farmers.

He noted that it was not fair to deny the farmers to harvest their crops since they had been allowed to access the land and planted the crops.

However, said that there is a need to open boundaries to help people to know where Hoima Sugar LTD, residents and green zoon’s land starts and ends.

He noted that the confusion is that people are utilizing the land in the darkness because the boundaries are not clear.

The land in question measuring 22.4 square miles was offered to Hoima Sugar Limited by Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom in   2017 at lease of 99-years, to grow sugarcane.

 National Forestry Authority NFA dragged Hoima Sugar Company limited to Court challenging the occupancy claiming that the land was part of Bugoma forest reserve but on 25th April 2019, High court Masindi ruled that Hoima Sugar was the rightful occupant of the 22 square Miles of land.

 This ruling attacked massive protests from the residents and environmental activists across the globe that included European Union (EU) Ambassadors.

 Such protests forced the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to deny Hoima Sugar Company limited 13 square miles and allowed it only nine square miles out of the 21 square miles, which NEMA deemed fit for human activity since it was grassland (no forest cover).

When contacted on phone, Hoima Sugar officials declined to comment about the matter saying that everything was in the hands of the Kikuube district security committee.