Ugandan farmers protest eviction from president's farmland

Dozens of people who claim to have paid money to carry out various farming activities on President Museveni’s farm in Omunkondo, Nyaburiza Parish, Nyarutuntu Sub County, have stormed the office of Ntungamo District Resident Commissioner, Mr George Bekunda, after being stopped form using the land.

The farmers say that for the last three years, they have being paying the farm manager, Mr Augustine Murangira, to till the land.

“We have been giving him Shs50,000 to utilise every half acre. When the rain season started, we prepared the land but all of a sudden, we cannot access the land because we are not allowed to go beyond the gate,” Mr James Gumisiriza, one of the affected farmers said.

“Some of us who insisted that it’s our right to access the gardens were beaten. The next day, soldiers were deployed to stop us.”

Mr Gumisirza said that there are over 100 families who rented the land.

He said that the farmers were told that renting the land has been suspended.

“He waited for us to prepare the gardens before evicting us. He wanted free labour. They should have hired our labour instead of duping us to rent the land and be dismissed after clearing it,” Mr Christopher Mubangizi, another affected farmer said.

Mr Murangira said that he was stopped by one of President Museveni daughters from renting the land in order to expand her grapes farm.

Mr Bakunda promised the affected farmers that he would ensure, through dialogue, that the money they paid to rent the land is refunded and their labour is paid for.

Mr Museveni has since 2008 been acquiring pieces of land in Omunkondo Nyaburiza parish.

This is part of the land where the family lived before migrating to Nyabushozi, Kiruhura District in 1960s.

His acquisition has, however, on various occasions sparked conflict in the area.

Mr Museveni’s farm managers and some family members have been accused of blocking village foot paths and livestock watering points.

Some residents also accuse the president for wrongfully acquiring some pieces of land.