Fresh fighting in Bulisa
TWO herdsmen were severely wounded on Saturday in fresh tribal clashes between pastoralists and Bagungu farmers in Bulisa district.
By Fred Kayizzi
TWO herdsmen were severely wounded on Saturday in fresh tribal clashes between pastoralists and Bagungu farmers in Bulisa district.
The angry crowd also burnt down a motorcycle belonging to one of the pastoralists.
Police sources said the two victims, James Rugama and Friday Katsinzi, sustained deep wounds on their heads as a result of attacks by the panga-wielding Bagungu. They were rushed to Bulisa health unit and later transferred to Masindi hospital.
The fighting erupted during a meeting convened by the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Henry Muganwa Kajura, at Bugana trading centre, located within the disputed piece of land.
Kajura had visited the place on behalf of the Government to establish the facts about the raging conflict in the area and get the views of the people concerned.
The Bunyoro Kingdom Katikkiro (prime minister), Emmanuel Aliba Kiiza, was also present.
According to Bulisa RDC Hussein Matanda, the battle broke out when a group of Bagungu farmers impounded a herd of cattle and drove them to the venue of the meeting, claiming they had destroyed their crops.
He said chaos ensued when the Bulisa MP, Stephen Birahwa, identified the owner of the cows, Stephen Mabunda, as the one who had injured him in last month’s clashes.
“When the MP identified Mabunda as the one who had attacked him with a stick, the Bagungu pounced on him and almost tore him to pieces, prompting the Police to intervene,†the RDC narrated.
But the MP said he merely helped the Police in arresting his attacker. “When I identified the man who beat me last month, I assisted the Police in arresting him,†said Birahwa.
“Later, I proceeded to the Police station to make a statement, where I learned that the same man had been involved in a fight with the Bagungu.â€
The fighting, Birahwa added, lasted for half an hour. He, however, said it was about 50 metres away from the venue of the meeting.
Sources at the meeting said the Police shot in the air to quell the fighting, which had spread as the enraged Bagungu farmers went on the rampage and randomly attacked the pastoralists.
The head of the pastoralist community, Grace Bwororoza, claimed unknown people abducted two herdsmen and stole 120 head of cattle shortly after the clashes on Saturday evening.
She identified the missing herdsmen as Rwebishaka and Tuutu, claiming they had been grazing their animals at Kichoke village. Security authorities in Bulisa, however, could not confirm the claims.
This is the second round of clashes between the farmers and the herdsmen over the disputed 20 square-mile piece of land at Bugana, Kichoke, Katareba and Waiga villages. Last month, 10 people were injured when the Bagungu tried to forcefully evict the pastoralists from the area.
The issue has also caused a stand-off between the Buganda government and the Central government. Mengo has opposed the government’s plan to relocate the pastoralists to Kiboga district.
But Bulisa RDC said the Buganda government was trying to use the crisis to get back the 9,000 square miles of public land, which was taken in 1966 by the Obote government.
TWO herdsmen were severely wounded on Saturday in fresh tribal clashes between pastoralists and Bagungu farmers in Bulisa district.
The angry crowd also burnt down a motorcycle belonging to one of the pastoralists.
Police sources said the two victims, James Rugama and Friday Katsinzi, sustained deep wounds on their heads as a result of attacks by the panga-wielding Bagungu. They were rushed to Bulisa health unit and later transferred to Masindi hospital.
The fighting erupted during a meeting convened by the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Henry Muganwa Kajura, at Bugana trading centre, located within the disputed piece of land.
Kajura had visited the place on behalf of the Government to establish the facts about the raging conflict in the area and get the views of the people concerned.
The Bunyoro Kingdom Katikkiro (prime minister), Emmanuel Aliba Kiiza, was also present.
According to Bulisa RDC Hussein Matanda, the battle broke out when a group of Bagungu farmers impounded a herd of cattle and drove them to the venue of the meeting, claiming they had destroyed their crops.
He said chaos ensued when the Bulisa MP, Stephen Birahwa, identified the owner of the cows, Stephen Mabunda, as the one who had injured him in last month’s clashes.
“When the MP identified Mabunda as the one who had attacked him with a stick, the Bagungu pounced on him and almost tore him to pieces, prompting the Police to intervene,†the RDC narrated.
But the MP said he merely helped the Police in arresting his attacker. “When I identified the man who beat me last month, I assisted the Police in arresting him,†said Birahwa.
“Later, I proceeded to the Police station to make a statement, where I learned that the same man had been involved in a fight with the Bagungu.â€
The fighting, Birahwa added, lasted for half an hour. He, however, said it was about 50 metres away from the venue of the meeting.
Sources at the meeting said the Police shot in the air to quell the fighting, which had spread as the enraged Bagungu farmers went on the rampage and randomly attacked the pastoralists.
The head of the pastoralist community, Grace Bwororoza, claimed unknown people abducted two herdsmen and stole 120 head of cattle shortly after the clashes on Saturday evening.
She identified the missing herdsmen as Rwebishaka and Tuutu, claiming they had been grazing their animals at Kichoke village. Security authorities in Bulisa, however, could not confirm the claims.
This is the second round of clashes between the farmers and the herdsmen over the disputed 20 square-mile piece of land at Bugana, Kichoke, Katareba and Waiga villages. Last month, 10 people were injured when the Bagungu tried to forcefully evict the pastoralists from the area.
The issue has also caused a stand-off between the Buganda government and the Central government. Mengo has opposed the government’s plan to relocate the pastoralists to Kiboga district.
But Bulisa RDC said the Buganda government was trying to use the crisis to get back the 9,000 square miles of public land, which was taken in 1966 by the Obote government.