Iganga MP, chairman clash over land

Apr 12, 2009

A land row has erupted between the Iganga district chairman, Asuman Kyafu, and MP Milton Muwuma.

By George Bita

A land row has erupted between the Iganga district chairman, Asuman Kyafu, and MP Milton Muwuma.

The two clashed over a piece of land in Nabiirye village after Kyafu said it belonged to the Madhvani Group.

Muwuma, represented by councillor Baker Maganda told residents that they had a right to resist eviction in a meeting at the village on Saturday .

“Kyafu, the resident district commissioner, Swaibu Lubega and NRM chief whip Daudi Migereko wanted to coerce Muwuma to endorse the takeover of your land but he refused,” Maganda said amid applause.

He said Kyafu, Lubega, Migereko and a Kakira Sugar Works secretary called Ayengar, recently met in Iganga to survey the disputed land.

However, Kyafu said the Asian owners of the land would compensate the residents.

“Those Indians have the land title. The controversial piece of land belongs to Madhvani,” Kyafu said.

“The mere fact that these people set up only temporary structures shows they knew it was not their land. There is actually a group of tenants led by Aswin Munyigwa who wish to move,” he added.

He rubbished claims by Muwuma and the leader of the alleged squatters, Byansi Mutekanga that district leaders had connived with Madhvani to take their land.

Kyafu argued that Muwuma’s stand on the controversial issue could have been influenced by the district chairman’s resolve to contest for the Kigulu South seat in 2011.

“Muwuma deceived the people he represents and that is why he now sends emissaries instead of facing them himself,” Kyafu said.

Mutekanga questioned the legality of handling the land issue years after the Departed Asians Custodian Board had wound up its operations.

The board was set up by the Government in the 1980s to help the Asians who were returning to Uganda to reclaim their property after Idi Amin expelled them in 1972.

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