Anger and frustration continue to grow among a group of Buvuma Islanders who feel betrayed after selling their land to the government for an oil palm project.
They were convinced by government officials that selling their land would bring development and a better future.
However, for over a decade later, they still haven’t received the compensation they were promised, leaving them upset and disappointed.
These islanders, who once believed the oil palm project would improve their lives, are now vowing to cut ties with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
They are determined not to support the NRM in future elections unless they are fully compensated.
The project, which started in 2000 with the government taking 5,000 hectares of land for investors in the areas of Busamuzi, Nairambi, Buwooya, and Buvuma Town Council, has instead become a source of broken promises for the local people.
Since then, the government has paid some landlords and bibanja holders, but many farmers are still waiting for their compensation, which is supposed to come through the National Oil Palm Project (NOPP).
Over 100 residents from villages like Kachanga, Kaziru, Ttojjwe, Bukalabati, and Bukinindi in Nairambi sub-county, who gave up their land for the project, have yet to receive any payment.
Because they handed over their land to investors, they now have nowhere to grow food for their families or to sell. Their former land is now covered with the investor’s palm oil gardens.
To make matters worse, the government’s decision to stop fishermen from catching mukene (silverfish) has only added to their struggles.
They can no longer afford to send their children to school or provide them with basic necessities like clothes and medical care.
Forced off their land to make way for the palm oil project, many now live in a makeshift camp at Kachanga landing site. Still uncompensated, they rely on doing odd jobs at nearby farms and homes just to survive.
The residents have protested at the Resident District Commissioner’s office seven times, demanding a solution.
Deputy RDC Patrick Mubiru, who attended the meeting in Kachanga, acknowledged their grievances, saying, “Yes, they came to my office, and sometimes I gave them money from my pocket, but I couldn’t meet their needs.”
In their report, frustrated residents revealed that families have been torn apart, domestic violence cases are rising, and many children have dropped out of school.
Franco Wazaabwe, the Kachanga LC I chairman, said that the National Oil Palm Project (NOPP), which oversees oil palm cultivation, gave them seeds to grow eggplants, tomatoes, and cabbage as a way to supposedly earn some income while they wait for compensation.
On Thursday, the parliamentary committee on national economy, tasked with monitoring and evaluating government-funded projects, visited Kachanga landing site to assess the residents’ hardships.
During the visit, Kabanga LC II chairman, Ismael Kabonge, shocked the parliamentarians by pointing out that the situation at Kachanga was just the tip of the iceberg.
“Farmers in Kisiima, Bukimera, Rwabyonda, Bulwa, Buyando, Kanywero, and many other areas are facing the same struggles,” Kabonge explained.
The chairman then posed a pressing question to the committee, “The palm oil on our land is almost ready for harvest, but we’re left wondering, who will harvest it? Us or the investors?”
Ruth Nakumu, the LC II NRM chairperson for Nairambi, proposed that the investor be ordered to return an acre or two of the land given to him so that residents can grow food to feed their families.
She expressed concern about the widespread malnutrition, especially among children. “In many homes today, the common illness is related to malnutrition,” Nakumu noted.
Hadija Nakato, speaking through tears, said, “It is heartbreaking for us as mothers to watch our children suffer from malnutrition, while their peers who didn’t give up their land for the oil palm project are healthy and thriving.”
Nakato also explained that many children have fled their homes to live with neighbors who have food, comparing the situation to a proverb; “If you can’t feed your dog, it will go to where it expects to be fed.”
Adding to their hardship, Nakato said they have been unable to access poverty reduction funds through the women’s GROW project.
The program requires land sale agreements, which they cannot provide because they have not yet been fully compensated for their land.
Simon Basajjampola from Buwanga village echoed the frustrations of many, blaming NOPP Project Manager Susan Lakwonyero for repeatedly giving them false promises of compensation.
He added that this situation has led to a strained relationship with President Museveni, who they once supported.
Paul Mamai, an 86-year-old resident, shared his disappointment, explaining that when they surrendered their land, they were given documents to show they had been evaluated, but these papers are now worthless as they cannot improve their dire situation.
He also wondered if their compensation was earning interest since the time they sold their land.
Kuzeifa Gonga from Bulwa village expressed his frustration, saying that since 2012, they’ve been fed vague explanations about their compensation, leaving them puzzled.
“What is this ‘system’? Is it something we can chop down with an axe to get our money?” he asked, prompting laughter from the crowd but underscoring their serious plight.
The residents continued to lament, criticizing NOPP officials for their sweet talk when convincing them to give up their land, only to face a different story when it came to compensation.
Musumba Shadrack Akatalekye shared that some farmers had received compensation, while others were left in the dark. When they sought answers, NOPP officials told them to wait for a “supplementary” budget, a term that was never clearly explained to them.
Kigomba Fred, visibly upset, demanded immediate payment, arguing that many of their neighbors had died before receiving their compensation.
Eva Mpagi added to the distress, revealing that some individuals who went to banks to collect their compensation found their amounts reduced.
Without naming anyone, she shared the story of one person who was supposed to receive 11 million shillings but only got 7 million, with no explanation given.
Buvuma MP Robert Migadde echoed her concerns, calling this practice common but criminal. He noted that even if one pursued the matter at the bank, the paperwork would often falsely indicate full payment.
LC III Chairman for Nairambi, Ocheng Matia Nixon, reported a surge in residents seeking help after their children fainted from hunger. He lamented that at just 13 years old, many girls have been misled into marrying young to escape the hunger at home.
Migadde, giving his voters hope, stated that their plight has been brought up in Parliament multiple times.
As the deputy chairman of the committee on the national economy, he reassured them that their concerns were being taken seriously and explained that while President Museveni has played his part, dishonest individuals are causing their suffering.
Busia Municipality MP Geoffrey Macho praised the residents for refusing to suffer in silence and encouraged them to continue speaking out.
He expressed confidence that their protests would be heard by the government and promised them that, with the issue now in their hands, positive outcomes were on the horizon.
Maracha MP Oguzu Lee Denis condemned the government’s actions, stating it was wrong and illegal to evict people without providing their due compensation.
He commended the residents for their patience, acknowledging that others might have reacted differently in such a situation, though he did not elaborate on those possible reactions.
Chairman of the parliamentary committee on national economy, Bukedea MP John Bosco Ikojo, assured the residents that their concerns were now being handled appropriately and urged them to remain hopeful for good news.
He firmly stated that it was unjust to penalize those who acted in good faith by giving up their land, only to have their compensation denied.
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