{UAH} Mengo sold Namasole land near Bugema University to Muhoozi Kainerugaba, residents claim

On January 3, 2017, a member of staff at Bugema University in Bugema, Bulemeezi County, tipped BugandaWatch about an operation by Buganda Land Board (BLB) staff to evict bibanja (land plot) holders on a large piece of land covering Bunsule, Kamira, Lukyamu and Bugema villages next to the university (see red boundary in the story image). The next day, BugandaWatch confirmed that the BLB staff were indeed evicting families, including many whose ancestors got the bibanja (plots) from Namasole between 1930 and 1966.

Namasole land near Bugema University

 

The few residents willing to talk to BugandaWatch all claimed that BLB had sold Namasole's land in the area to president Museveni's son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba. And they expressed much anger at what they called Mayiga's and Kiwalabye's arrogance.

The BLB staff reportedly offered each family one acre of land around their house as their new registered plot if they gave up the rest of the land. Most families were on 3 – 5 acres. However, there was one family that said that they were cultivating 40 acres and were allowed to keep 5. The BLB staff were reportedly guarded by a heavily armed Uganda security personnel who all looked like foreigners and it appears that the frightened residents have no plans to resist.

The office of Namasole in Baganda is a hereditary cultural institution for the Kabaka's mother. Namasole's land was part of the Buganda Kingdom land which was forcibly stolen by Uganda government in 1966. Because the Kabaka does not publically speak on these types of issues, there is no way to verify if he personally ordered the operation as Mr. Mayiga, Mr. Kiwalabye and BLB staff tell his angry and hungry subjects.

One non-Muganda man whose grandfather came to the area in 1951 told BugandaWatch in confidence that his own family was in a lot of fear because what Mayiga and Kiwalabye are doing with Muhoozi can put their lives in serious danger in a few years.

He explained, "The Baganda around here have been very welcoming to Bahima, Banyarwanda and Basamya  since 1950. But they can also be extremely dangerous if you humiliate them. When Obote was in power, UPC youth wingers abused and humiliated the people and when he fell, every UPC house was burnt down. Some people even died and many had to run as far as Tororo or Kenya."

He added, "Although I use Baganda names from a certain clan, a few elders know that my grandfather came as a laborer from Rwanda  65 year ago. Our children only know that they are Baganda because their father is a Muganda who married a Munyarwanda. Up to now, all the elders who know protect me because we are all supporters of both Museveni and Kabaka. However, if Mayiga and Kiwalabye arrogantly bring Muhoozi here with his Bahima and Banyarwanda soldiers,  I do not know if the elders can continue to protect me."

A source in the Land Office at Bukalasa, Bulemeezi County, has told BugandaWatch by phone that Namasole owns about 1,000 to 1,800 acres (1.5 – 2.0 square miles) to the east and south of the Seventh Day Adventist Bugema University. The source could not find out if  Bugema University leases any land from Namasole.

https://www.bugandawatch.com/2017/01/06/mengo-sold-namasole-land-near-bugema-university-to-muhoozi-kainerugaba-residents-claim/

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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