Kyenjojo residents riot, destroy property

May 20, 2018

They accuse Mugisha of using his capacity and position to forcefully grab their pieces of land and to frustrate the court system.

PIC: Part of Mugisha's plantation which was destroyed. (Credit: Rogers Sunday)

LAND GRABBING

KYENJOJO- The Police and the military have been deployed in Ganyinayo village Kihuura sub-county Kyenjojo quell the rioting residents who yesterday went on rampage destroying the properties of Vincent Mugisha, a lawyer and businessman, whom they accuse of land grabbing.


The Police used teargas and live bullets to disperse the angry residents who were armed with pangas and spears to destroy Mugisha's property.

The angry residents cut down over 10 acres of Mugisha's banana  plantation, torched houses and killed his livestock.

They accuse Mugisha of using his capacity and position to forcefully grab their pieces of land and to frustrate the court system.

Early this year Mugisha appeared before the land inquiry commission chaired by lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.

The commission quizzed Mugisha on claims of illegally evicting people from his alleged 230 titles piece of land.

The commission later arrested and detained Mugisha after he failed to clearly explain circumstances under which he acquired the land. The commission then also queried all the land documents that Mugisha presented as proof of land ownership.

Before he was released from Police custody, the commission issued an interim order barring him from accessing the disputed piece of land until the commission finishes its investigations.

The commission's interim order was, however, dismissed after Mugisha petitioned the Fort Portal High Court.

In his ruling, Anthony Ojok, the resident judge then, stated that Mugisha should be allowed to access only his home because it is where his family is.

However, Muhereza Nayayo, the village chairperson Ganyinayo, says Mugisha took advantage of the High Court's ruling to evict more people.

Muhereza says a row broke out after agents of Mugisha, who were armed with spears and pangas, tried to evict Annet Kwikiriza, a 35-year-old woman.

"Kwikiriza sounded an alarm, but by the time the locals came to her rescue, Mugisha's agents had already injured her on the face. On realizing that one of their own was bleeding, the locals reorganised and started destroying Mugisha's property as his agents went into hiding," Muhereza explained.

Isaac Kawonawo, the resident district commissioner for Kyenjojo, a day after the incidence, said the situation had returned to normal.

According to the Kawonawo, some of the residents had fled the area for fear of their lives.

He also cautioned the residents against taking the law into their hands and appealed to them to remain patient as they wait for the court process to end.

James Kawalya, the District Police Commander Kyenjojo, said investigations on who could have been the ring leaders of the riot are ongoing.

 

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