Entebbe Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Hakim Kirigwa has ordered Kasanje police in conjunction with Entebbe police station to investigate the circumstances under which an alleged land grabber, Simon Peter Tebongwa maliciously destroyed a 13- hectare tree plantation belonging to Henry Kyewalyanga.
It’s reported that on November 14, 2024, the accused land grabber allegedly hired over 30 casual laborers who cut down all the trees on the tree plantation before loading them on their trucks. It’s said the tree cutting was done from morning to evening hours and that Kasanje police were aware of whatever was going on at the 13 hectare tree plantation but no action was taken against the casual laborers and their boss.
RDC Kirigwa has strongly condemned the incident saying the President has categorically been clear on the issue of bijanja holders and their landlords. He added that though the accused person claims to possess the land title for 13 hectare land, his acts of cutting down the trees which he never planted violate the laws regarding land ownership.
He added that because of this impunity, he has instructed the police to investigate the matter and possibly bring the culprit to book. He revealed that the office of the prime minister and the minister for presidency are aware of the injustice that was inflicted on the family of Mzee Henry Kyewalyanga, an 80 year-old man.
Mzee Henry Kyewalyanga whose tree plantation was cleared down claims he bought the 13 hectares on October 18, 2000, at a cost of Shs 800,000 and he was issued a purchase agreement though he never bothered to process a land title for the disputed land.
He adds that later after 9years down the road, a land grabber by the names of Simon Peter Tebongwa emerged claiming ownership of the contentious land in addition to waging serious attacks against him.
“In 2009, Simon Peter Tebongwa emerged from nowhere and started claiming ownership of my land. He went ahead to process a land title for my land into his name and thereafter he started mistreating me and threatened to demolish my house. In 2016, he transferred the land title for my land from Yusuf Kabogoza into his own name. Remember I bought my 13 hectares from Nalongo Mankulata Nabatanzi, who in turn issued me a purchase agreement that was witnessed by Kasanja village local authorities.
“The second time I saw the land grabber was on November 14, 2024 when he came with casual laborers armed with sharp pangas. He ordered them to cut down my tree plantation and later loaded all the trees on their trucks. I tried to alert Kasanje police but they just ignored me and instead paid a deaf ear to my complaints,’ Mr. Kyewalaynga told us with tears rolling down his cheeks.
Kyewalyanga’s elderly wife, Maria Nalubega told us that her tree plantation has been the source of livelihood but now ever since the trees were cut down and taken away by the land grabber, her survival is now very difficult. She however condemns Kasanje police for not helping them and calls upon the government to intervene in the matter.
The eye witnesses who watched the casual laborers cutting down the trees told us that they attempted to stop them but they stubbornly went ahead to clear the tree plantation claiming they were implementing a lawful court order.
