Nabakooba pledges justice for evicted Mityana bibanja holders
Minister Nabakooba assured the locals that their grievances would be addressed.
The Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, speaking to Mityana residents last week. The minister plans to formally write to the local police, instructing them to prevent Ntambaazi from trespassing on the disputed land. (Courtesy photos)
By John Masaba
Journalists @New Vision
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The Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, has issued a stern warning to landlords in Mityana district, vowing to arrest and prosecute those involved in the forceful eviction and torment of bibanja (tenants by occupancy) holders.
Speaking in Bufuuma-Ntundiro village, Kakindu subcounty on June 14, 2025, minister Nabakooba directly addressed the alleged actions of James Ntambaazi Musoke, who claims ownership of vast tracts of land in the area.
Ntambaazi is accused of evicting several bibanja holders, destroying their gardens, and issuing threats and actions that have affected not only Bufuuma-Ntundiro but also Bubanzi, Kawanjuki, and Kanyogoga villages.
"Let him come back and do more evictions, destroy anyone's garden, or demolish someone's house. We shall deal with him," Nabakooba declared. "If he has big people in the government as he claims, we shall see when he is in custody."
The minister specifically warned Ntambaazi against further transactions on the disputed bibanja land and carrying out any more forceful evictions.
To address the immediate concerns, Nabakooba instructed Elusaama Kasawuli, the chairperson of Bufuuma village, to compile a comprehensive list of all affected bibanja holders, both those whose plots have already been seized and those living in fear of eviction.
Some Mityana residents who attended the meeting.
Kasawuli also informed the minister about the alleged involvement of a court clerk, previously based in Mityana and now transferred to Mubende, who he claimed was aiding the alleged land grabber.
Minister Nabakooba assured the locals that their grievances would be addressed.
She pledged to engage either the Chief Justice, Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, or escalate the matter directly to President Museveni, particularly after learning that Ntambaazi had reportedly won court cases against some bibanja holders.
"I'm going to go through the court documents and see where the court based its decision to rule in the land grabber's favour," Nabakooba stated.
"The Chief Justice is the head of all judges; I believe he will deal with them."
In the interim, the minister plans to formally write to the local police, instructing them to prevent Ntambaazi from trespassing on the disputed land. She also intends to place a caveat on the land to halt further transactions. "If he claims it's his land, why does he sell it immediately after grabbing it from bibanja owners?" she questioned.
The village chairperson was tasked with closely monitoring all activities on the land.
The human cost of the evictions was brought to light through emotional testimonies. Huudu Ssemwogerere, a retired headteacher, recounted how his kibanja, with mature trees ready for harvest, was seized and the trees sold by Ntambaazi.
"Since the term began, our children have not yet reported back because we even fled the house for fear of our lives," Ssemwogerere lamented. "We have no food because Ntambaazi is threatening to grab even the remaining portion."
His wife, Hadijah Ssemwogerere, described the effort she had put into planting mango and other trees to secure her children’s school fees.
"We had sold trees to someone at Sh20 million, hoping this money would help us sustain our children at school for some time, but here we are, it was taken," she said, adding that the buyer demanded a refund of Sh30 million due to a loan he had taken. She revealed that she had developed a “strange disease” since the ordeal began.
Robert Kalyesubula, another affected bibanja holder, stated that he bought his kibanja in 1994, only for Ntambaazi, who they claim arrived in 2018, to begin tormenting them. He expressed his dissatisfaction with a court ruling in Mubende, quoting Ntambaazi as saying, “We cannot win in court because he is rich.”
About the land
According to chairperson Kasawuli, the mailo land originally belonged to Alipo Mukasa, who died decades ago, leaving behind two elderly children, Nababi and Nambooze, both in their 90s. These original landlords allegedly granted powers to their grandchildren, including Ntambaazi, to manage the land.
Ntambaazi is accused of exploiting the poverty of bibanja holders, using it to forcefully evict them without compensation, believing they lack the means to report him.