Tension is rising in Kiira Municipality, Wakiso District as Police moves to evict six ‘kibanja’ land owners despite a court injuction against the same.
Kiira Police, under the command of OCCID, Constantine Nyirayisenga on Thursday November 4th mounted an operation to evict John Buteraba, Timothy Mawomero and Anthony Ssewatti, all residents of Kiira from a piece of land which they say they have inhabited for over 40 years.
The land in question is being claimed by Josephat Bisase and Tempora Bisase, the surviving administrators of the Estate of the late K.L.B Kisosonkole who had earlier made an attempt to evict the residents.
The affected persons, through their lawyer, Kenneth Paul Kakande of Alaka and company Advocates would later seek legal redress of the matter where the two parties agreed in a consent judgement.
In a consent Decree, dated October 17th under the hand of High Court Land Division Deputy Registrar, Esta Nambayo, which ChimpReports is in possession of, the plaintiffs were declared lawful owners of the land and all authorities warned against evicting them.
“The plaintiffs are bonafide and lawful occupants/owners of the suit Kibanja situate at Namugongo Kiira, Wakiso District, boarding Sam Perezi, on the lower side, Mr. Kyobe on the upper side, Ms. Nabitosi on the left hand side and Ms. Nakiwala on the right hand side,” the consent decree reads in part.
A consent judgement was also passed and an injuction put, baring the defendants from evicting the Kibanja land owners.
“A permanent injunction is hereby issued against the defendants, their agents or anybody deriving title/authority from them, or anybody, restraining them from interfering with the plaintiffs’ lawful possession and use of the suit land and evicting, dispossessing or dealings in the suit property in a manner likely to affect the rights and interests of the plaintiffs,” the decree further reads.
Barely a month after the injuction was issued, the heat has been turned up again by a one Hezekia Mukiibi, a surveyor in the same area who has called on police to evict the residents who are protected by the court injunction.
Anthony Ssewatti, an owner of Kibanja land measuring 12 acres claims that police operatives have threatened to chase him away, demanding that he either gives them money or hands over half of his 12 acre land.
Ssewatti told ChimpReports that he has lived on that piece of land for over 4o years and that his fore fathers also lived on the same land although he doesn’t have a land title to it.
“I have grown up here. This is where our fathers lived. Where do they expect me to go?” wondered a distressed Ssewatti.
Efforts to get a comment from Mukiibi have remained futile as all his known phone numbers can’t go through.