Relief for over 3,000 Kiruhura residents facing eviction after ministerial intervention

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Lands state minister Sam Mayanja has warned three landlords in Kiruhura district against evicting over 3,000 residents from land they claim to have titles to.

The landlords are Steven Tumusiime and Vennay Sanyu, both residents of Nyakatookye cell, in Kinoni sub-county and Joy Bahinguza of Kayakabunga Village in Nyakasharara sub-county.

The minister warned on November 24, 2025, while meeting over 4,000 squatters in Nyakatookye and Kyakabunga, respectively. Mayanja first met with the 2,000 squatters of the Nyakatookye 200-acre land owned by Steven Tumusiime (130 acres) and Sanyu (63 acres) that the residents claim to have occupied for over 40 years.

Both Tumusiime and Sanyu asked the minister to look for a way to settle the matter that has been delayed for over four decades. Sanyu asked Mayanja to resettle the squatters, while Tumusiime asked for compensation.

“I told them their rights in law, that the occupancy is guaranteed by the Constitution. So, those people under Tumusime should continue their occupancy unperturbed. I have advised them to look for compensation from the Government, good enough, Tumusime has already applied for compensation, he will be compensated,” Mayanja said.

"For Sanyu, who was saying she's going to court, I asked her not to proceed because she will be wasting her time in court. These Bibanja Holders have a right of occupancy under the Constitution and the Land Act. Even if she says she purchased the land, the Act is clear. If you buy, you are subject to the legitimate rights of Bibanja holders,” he added. 

While at Kyakabunga, Mayanja heard that over 2,000 bibanja owners are accusing Joy Bahinguza of trying to evict them from 450 acres. Currently, the land has been developed with commercial buildings owned by the occupants along the road, and a government seed school with 600 students.

Joy Bahinguza said she has owned the land since 1970 through her husband; however, she lost the title through a mortgage in the then Uganda Commercial Bank.

“I have been on this land since the 1970s, and with a title, but I revealed that they did not give me back my title when I cleared their mortgage, and it was affected when it was privatised, but I have other documents,” she said.

Nyakasharara sub-county chairperson Andrew Rwakishieja said the land has been under conflict since 1971, when it was fraudulently surveyed using GPS, even when people had already settled on it.

He said that the land has exchanged hands through three people until the late Bahinguza owned it, and since then, his wife has tried to evict the occupants.

“The title that Bahinguza claims to have was cancelled by the Commissioner of Land Registration, under Section 88, and the Commissioner can cancel without reference to court. And this matter was done through that process, after these people had made their complaint," Mayanja said.

He directed that the District Land Board start making land titles for the bona fide occupants.

Kyakabunga village chairperson Kamanda Robert commended the Government and President Yoweri Museveni for the decision that is expected to settle a long-time land dispute in the area.