By Felix Basiime

OVER 700 people who had settled on the late Nekemia Bananuka Rwobuyenje’s land, have been assured that they will not be evicted. Bananuka was the administrator general for Ankole during the Obote 1 regime. He was among those killed in 1972 by former president Idi Amin.

After Bananuka’s death, most family members fled to exile and left behind a lot of property including land that was later encroached upon by residents.

Among such land is Block 1, Plot 17 of Kashari at Rwobuyenje village in Kakiika sub-county. It is 434 acres and lies opposite Mbarara army barracks, 3km on the Mbarara-Masaka road.

One of Bananuka’s daughters, Audrey Kiconco Bananuka, said some people had even sold plots. “My mother tried to get back the land between 1979 and 1985 in vain.”

Bananuka’s children later came back from exile and claimed their father’s land through the Administrator General.

The freehold title holders are now Audrey Kiconco Bananuka, Alice Bananuka, Joselyn Ekocu Bananuka, Fred Muhanguzi and Alex Bananuka.

For over 20 years, the settlers thought they would be evicted until they sought audience with Kiconco on April 1.

Kiconco said: “I know you have been buying and selling our land but we want consensus not eviction.”

The meeting also resolved to allow Kiconco to demarcate boundaries on the land. The settlers were also asked to form a committee to negotiate a fee to pay the Bananukas for the transfer of tittles.

The meeting was presided over by the LC 3 chairman, Benon Mugume, and Nathan Tusubira as the coordinator for the land wrangle.