At least five people have been seriously injured and are currently admitted at Mt. St. Mary’s Hospital in Kasese Municipality following an attack over land between cultivators and cattle keepers today morning in Kasese district.
The pieces of land in conflict are located in Ibuga I, Nkoko, and Kyabatukura villages in Kitswamba sub-county and Kabukero in Karusandara sub-county.
The injured persons have been identified as James Kato, Robert Kakwenza, Dan Mwesige, Alex Kabinga and another one only identified as Musinguzi.
Addressing the cultivators and a section of cattle keepers from Ibuga I, Nkoko and Kabukero villages respectively, Lt. Joe Walusimbi, the Kasese Resident District Commissioner directed them to go back to their original homes as government devises a permanent solution to the land wrangles across the district.
The Rwenzori East Regional Police Commander, SSP Danes Odoch together with the 222 Brigade (Kavera) Commander, Col. Saulo Nabimanya, asked the cultivators to vacate the pieces of land that they had forcefully occupied before a reasonable force is applied.
The Regional Police Commander, however, arrested four people mostly cultivators from Ibuga – Kisanga village.
The Kasese District Chairperson, Mr. Eliphaz Muhindi Bukombi told the cultivators to be calm and adhere to advice of the RDC to use peaceful approaches in looking for a lasting solution.
Mr. Yofesi Katenene, the Kitswamba Sub-county Chairperson where the attacked took place, attributed the unending land conflicts in the area to the alleged government’s failure to implement the resettlement plan.
The Chairperson for Kasese District Inter-coalition Landless Group, Ms Grace Biira, said they had earlier warned that they would go back to their claimed pieces of land.
Mr. Richard Asiimwe, the Chairperson for Kabukero Cooperative Society and Annet Keruba, whose house was destroyed by the cultivators demanded for a lasting solution to the problem of land wrangles.
Some cultivators told the RDC and other members of the District Security Committee that they decided to forcefully enter their claimed pieces of land after becoming impatient with the endless promises that have never yielded positive fruits.
ENDS