A section of local leaders in Kyotera District has called for an immediate suspension of the National Oil Palm Project (NOPP), citing alleged human rights violations and illegal land takeovers.
The dispute centres on land in Kyebe Sub-county and Mutukula Town Council, previously occupied by the defunct Sango-Bay sugar estates.
Hundreds of residents, alongside local council leaders, accuse investors of exceeding the designated boundaries and encroaching on private land without compensation.
Disputed Land Takeover
In 2022, the Ugandan government reclaimed 247 square miles of land spanning Kabira, Kakuuto, Kasasa, Kasensero, and Mutukula sub-counties.
The land, formerly controlled by Sango-Bay Estates Limited before its collapse following the 1972 expulsion of Asians, was allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture to expand oil palm farming.
The project, aimed at boosting vegetable oil production, was handed over to Oil Palm Uganda Limited (OPUL) and selected secondary outgrowers.
However, David Mujaasi, the chairperson of Mutukula Town Council, has accused OPUL of disregarding the land’s original boundaries.
He claims the investor is aggressively expanding beyond the agreed areas, seizing private property with armed security personnel in tow.
“We had initially agreed that people occupying the edges of the old sugar estates would not be evicted, but to our surprise, the investor is going way beyond the known boundaries.
People’s livestock is being confiscated, and crops are being razed down by excavators,” Mujaasi said.
Calls for Presidential Intervention
President Yoweri Museveni had previously directed that all bona fide occupants be compensated before the project commenced, but local leaders say this has not been done.
They are now calling for the President’s direct intervention to reassess land boundaries and ensure proper compensation for affected residents.
Francis Kizza, chairperson of Kyebe Sub-county, says more than 40 homesteads are at risk of eviction despite not being part of the repossessed sugar estates.
“The first land survey report was not accurate, and it is important that the process be redone to harmonize the situation,” he said.
Some residents have taken legal action against the government, challenging their eviction. However, they claim the investor is proceeding with land takeovers before court rulings are issued.
Tensions Escalate
The dispute has sparked tensions, with some residents threatening retaliatory action against the investor.
Victor Ndahiro and Hosea Kamugisha, residents of Kabira Sub-county, warn that if the situation is not addressed, they may be forced to resist eviction efforts.
Local authorities say they are monitoring the situation. Kyotera Resident District Commissioner Apollo Mugume confirmed that his office has received complaints and assured that investigations are underway.
“The State House Land Protection Unit is already involved, and we expect a report soon that will help resolve the situation,” Mugume said.
For now, uncertainty looms over the project’s future, as affected communities demand answers and justice in the face of an escalating land dispute.
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