50-year-old evicted, arrested

MITYANA - Edward Ssengendo, 50, a resident of Nsalwa village in Butayunja sub-county, Mityana district, was recently arrested after a group of people, claiming to be his relatives, fenced off his home and forced his family to vacate the land.

The family members said it is now two weeks since the Police arrested Ssengendo.

"I am stuck. Ssengendo was my caregiver, but he was arrested and we were thrown out of our home," Ssengendo's grandmother, Nzera Nakanwagi, said.

Ssengendo dropped out of school at the age of 20 and settled on his grandfather's land. He was allowed to build a house and use part of the land for farming.

After 20 years, Ssengendo took in his grandmother, who has since been living with them.

When the New Vision visited Nsalwa village, a man only identified as Julius, was seen busy fencing off the land.

He said he was given authority to fence off the land.

The Nsalwa LC1 chairperson, John Bosco Bwanika, said he had been told that court directed them to do so.

However, according to documents, the Mityana Magistrates' Court had allowed the plaintiff to open boundaries, but not to fence off the land.

Abraham Luwalira, the chairperson of Uganda Bibanja Holders Association, faulted the village leaders for allowing such an act.

He said he was going to refer the matter to the Police and the resident district commissioner so that the family can be helped.

Petition

Some of Ssengendo's family members who spoke to New Vision accused the Police of aiding the land grabbers.

"Many of us were arrested and now Ssengendo, the head of the family, has been in prison for over two weeks," Phiona

Nakayima, a relative, said. On Wednesday, five relatives wrote to the Mityana Chief Magistrate appealing for justice.

Mityana district Police commander Martin Okoyo, confirmed receiving the letter and promised to follow up on the matter.