Land disputes disrupt Bududa resettlement
THE border clashes between the Sabiny and the Bagisu is as old as Uganda. Until 1962, Kapchorwa was part of Bugisu. By then it was called Sebei county.
By vision reporter
THE border clashes between the Sabiny and the Bagisu is as old as Uganda. Until 1962, Kapchorwa was part of Bugisu. By then it was called Sebei county.
As a minority dominated by the Bagisu, the Sabiny felt isolated politically, culturally and economically. While the rest of Uganda was agitating for independence from the British, the Sabiny were also demanding independence from the Bagisu.
In order to be recognised, the Sabiny occasionally blocked the only road leading to the mountainous Sebei County. In 1961, they refused to pay taxes to Bugisu district.
The colonial masters noted that the economics in Sabiny did not warrant a district. The population was about 50,000 people, with a narrow tax base of 9,000 tax payers.
But the colonial authorities pointed out that Sebei was relatively backward compared to Bugisu because Bugisu local authorities had abandoned the Sabiny to their own fate.
Creating Kapchorwa district would be a catalyst for development, they argued.
The colonial government agreed to grant the Sabiny a district on condition that they took only what was within the boundaries of Sebei county at that time. The Sabiny found the district borders specified by the central government rather restrictive and unacceptable. They demanded that they be put right before Sebei was granted a district. The Prime Minister, Benedicto Kiwanuka, promised to settle the issue after independence.
But with the change of leadership from Kiwanuka to Apollo Milton Obote, the Sabiny were left in the cold and the border dispute was not resolved. The 1960s witnessed several bloody skirmishes between the Sabiny and the Bagisu over the disputed land, leaving many dead on both sides.
These fights were repeated during the overthrow of Idi Amin Dada in 1979, then in 1986 when Tito Okello Lutwa was overthrown. Many Bagisu and Sabiny lost their lives in the tribal war. According to the Sabiny, most of north Sironko, specifically Buginyanya, Sisiyi, Muyembe and Bunambutye belongs to them. Chelimo accuses the Bagisu of changing the name of the place from the Sabiny word Cheptuwei to Bunambutye, a Gisu word.
Kapcherono says by 1870, the Sabiny had already settled in Bunambutye, adding: “The Sabiny are cattle keepers. They were using the area for grazing cattle.â€
He says they were later joined by the Bagisu who came as herdsmen and business people in 1900s and settled along a road in Bunambutye. “Because they were cultivators, they taught the Sabiny how to use the land. They grew crops for the Sabiny and did not own any land,†he explains.
Kapcherono adds that due to the cattle rustling that intensified in the 1970s when the Karimojongs acquired fire arms, the Sabiny were displaced from Bunambutye.
He says the Sabiny fled to Bugiri, Pallisa, Tororo, Kamwennge, Masinde and Kenya.
“As the area is getting pacified through the Government disarmament programme, people are going back to their land. However, the land has been grabbed by the Bagisu who were helpers to the Sabiny and their leaders. They have sold land that they do not own,†he explains.
But the Bagisu also have their own history of how they settled in Bunambutye sub-county. According to 87-year-old John Khissa, who was born in Bunambutye, the Bagisu were already settled in Bunambutye sub-county by the time the Sabiny came to the area.
“The first foreigners to come to Bunambutye came in 1937. They found the Bamasaaba already settled and were cultivating the land. They were looking for grass and water for their animals. They were joined by the Nandi people of Kenya in 1941, followed by the Bukusu and the Sabiny in 1943,†he explains.
He adds that the Karimojong started raiding cattle from them as early as 1943. “They were looking for their debt from Nandi who had got a cow but they had failed to pay. Unable to recover it peacefully, they came and raided many cows and that is how cattle rustling in Bunambutye began. They displaced us but we came back to our land.â€
It does not matter who is telling the truth. But there has to be a solution to the violent conflict between the Bagisu and Sabiny.
Chelimo says they will not leave their land to Sironko. “We shall fight until the last inch has been got. I pray that we solve it peacefully but if people continue to grab the land, this will incite my people into violence,†he says.
THE border clashes between the Sabiny and the Bagisu is as old as Uganda. Until 1962, Kapchorwa was part of Bugisu. By then it was called Sebei county.
As a minority dominated by the Bagisu, the Sabiny felt isolated politically, culturally and economically. While the rest of Uganda was agitating for independence from the British, the Sabiny were also demanding independence from the Bagisu.
In order to be recognised, the Sabiny occasionally blocked the only road leading to the mountainous Sebei County. In 1961, they refused to pay taxes to Bugisu district.
The colonial masters noted that the economics in Sabiny did not warrant a district. The population was about 50,000 people, with a narrow tax base of 9,000 tax payers.
But the colonial authorities pointed out that Sebei was relatively backward compared to Bugisu because Bugisu local authorities had abandoned the Sabiny to their own fate.
Creating Kapchorwa district would be a catalyst for development, they argued.
The colonial government agreed to grant the Sabiny a district on condition that they took only what was within the boundaries of Sebei county at that time. The Sabiny found the district borders specified by the central government rather restrictive and unacceptable. They demanded that they be put right before Sebei was granted a district. The Prime Minister, Benedicto Kiwanuka, promised to settle the issue after independence.
But with the change of leadership from Kiwanuka to Apollo Milton Obote, the Sabiny were left in the cold and the border dispute was not resolved. The 1960s witnessed several bloody skirmishes between the Sabiny and the Bagisu over the disputed land, leaving many dead on both sides.
These fights were repeated during the overthrow of Idi Amin Dada in 1979, then in 1986 when Tito Okello Lutwa was overthrown. Many Bagisu and Sabiny lost their lives in the tribal war. According to the Sabiny, most of north Sironko, specifically Buginyanya, Sisiyi, Muyembe and Bunambutye belongs to them. Chelimo accuses the Bagisu of changing the name of the place from the Sabiny word Cheptuwei to Bunambutye, a Gisu word.
Kapcherono says by 1870, the Sabiny had already settled in Bunambutye, adding: “The Sabiny are cattle keepers. They were using the area for grazing cattle.â€
He says they were later joined by the Bagisu who came as herdsmen and business people in 1900s and settled along a road in Bunambutye. “Because they were cultivators, they taught the Sabiny how to use the land. They grew crops for the Sabiny and did not own any land,†he explains.
Kapcherono adds that due to the cattle rustling that intensified in the 1970s when the Karimojongs acquired fire arms, the Sabiny were displaced from Bunambutye.
He says the Sabiny fled to Bugiri, Pallisa, Tororo, Kamwennge, Masinde and Kenya.
“As the area is getting pacified through the Government disarmament programme, people are going back to their land. However, the land has been grabbed by the Bagisu who were helpers to the Sabiny and their leaders. They have sold land that they do not own,†he explains.
But the Bagisu also have their own history of how they settled in Bunambutye sub-county. According to 87-year-old John Khissa, who was born in Bunambutye, the Bagisu were already settled in Bunambutye sub-county by the time the Sabiny came to the area.
“The first foreigners to come to Bunambutye came in 1937. They found the Bamasaaba already settled and were cultivating the land. They were looking for grass and water for their animals. They were joined by the Nandi people of Kenya in 1941, followed by the Bukusu and the Sabiny in 1943,†he explains.
He adds that the Karimojong started raiding cattle from them as early as 1943. “They were looking for their debt from Nandi who had got a cow but they had failed to pay. Unable to recover it peacefully, they came and raided many cows and that is how cattle rustling in Bunambutye began. They displaced us but we came back to our land.â€
It does not matter who is telling the truth. But there has to be a solution to the violent conflict between the Bagisu and Sabiny.
Chelimo says they will not leave their land to Sironko. “We shall fight until the last inch has been got. I pray that we solve it peacefully but if people continue to grab the land, this will incite my people into violence,†he says.