Locals evicted from land that the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) says is part of Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve have called upon the government to urgently resettle them. The locals who are members of the Bagisu, Sabiny, and Iteso tribes were evicted in 2014 by UWA from the land located in Kukumai Village, Kween District.
The eviction affected 661 families with more than 7000 members. Many of the displaced families camped about 500 metres from where they were expelled, living in squalor in Nyiliti Parish, Sundeti Sub-county.
Mr Alex Lukhanda Natembeya, one of the evictees, said they have lived ‘like refugees on our own land’ for the past 11 years, accusing UWA of land grabbing.
‘We were attacked at night by UWA officials. They destroyed our crops, beat us, and demolished all the community amenities we relied on. Marriages have been broken, and many elderly people have since died due to the harsh living conditions,’ he says. He appealed to the government for intervention, saying the community has continuously supported President Museveni and the NRM but received no help in return.
Mr Juma Mulongo, 63, said his family has lived on the disputed land for generations, even before Uganda’s independence. ‘My father lived in Kukumai during colonial times, and his grave remains there, in the same area UWA now claims as part of the park,’ he added. He said despite obtaining court orders recognising them as lawful occupants, UWA has continued to deny them access to the land.’We have obtained court orders that allow us to occupy the land, but they have denied us the right. We have orders from the inspector general of police recognising us as lawful occupants, but the UWA officials have denied us access to the land,’ he said.
Mr Nelson Manyali, the chairman of the people displaced from Kukumai, said they have not received any official government response to the matter or any form of government aid ever since they were evicted in 2014. Mr Manyali added that all the infrastructure, including schools, hospital, and homes were broken down by UWA, making the place uninhabitable. He said those who attempt to return to the disputed land are beaten by UWA personnel and chased away. Mr Bernard Kiberenge, 85, said he was born on the disputed land and spent most of his life there before the eviction.
‘I watched missionaries build a Catholic school there in 1953, followed by a government school and health centre. UWA demolished everything,’ he said. Local leaders said several people have died in the internally displaced people’s camps because of the poor living condition and lack of medical services. Mr Moses Kashari, the LC1 chairperson of Soseti Village, said: ‘I received elderly men and women, rightful occupants of the land who had buried their ancestors there. It’s disappointing this happened under the government we support.’
He added that the host village is overwhelmed due to lack of facilities, forcing some displaced people to seek refuge in Kenya or work as casual labourers in Sebei and Bugisu. Mr Richard Chemutaraba, the Jeema party coordinator in Kween District, accused government officials of hiding behind UWA to grab land.
‘They use the President’s name to steal people’s land. UWA is just a cover-up. The empty village has now become a haven for criminal activities, including cattle raiding,’ he alleged. The Kween Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr Twoyem Kenneth Chemonges described the Kukumai dispute as a serious security issue that has escalated conflicts among communities.
‘This issue involves not only UWA but also the restoration of original boundaries between Karamoja, particularly Nakapiripirit and Amudat, and Sebei in Kween District. It has caused clashes among the Pokot, Karimojong, and Kween communities,’ he said. He explained that human activities have altered the course of River Kiriki, leading to confusion over the official boundary. ‘UWA keeps producing new maps claiming Pian Upe extends into Kween. We’ve asked the Ministry of Lands to conduct fresh demarcations to restore the original boundaries,’ he added.
Petitioning Museveni
The displaced residents, through their lawyer Mr Joseph Ndawula of Kayanja and Company Advocates, have petitioned President Museveni to intervene and compel UWA to compensate them for losses and suffering. ‘Despite several interventions from district authorities and other leaders, UWA staff have continued to destabilise the residents. We are demanding Shs20b in compensation,’ Mr Ndawula said. However, a senior UWA official attached to the Elgon Conservation Area, who requested anonymity, insisted that the disputed land belongs to UWA.
‘Those are former encroachers. Pian Upe was gazetted in the 1960s. People living there were advised to leave. Being buried on encroached land does not make it theirs,’ the official said, dismissing allegations of torture as ‘baseless and unfounded.’ Mr Frederick Wanyama, the chief warden of Pian Upe, said he was unaware of the complaints. ‘I took office in August, and no such issue was raised during the handover,’ he said. The UWA Communications Manager, Mr Bashir Hangi, said the Authority had the mandate to protect gazetted wildlife areas. ‘Once the government gazettes a place as protected, we manage it according to the gazettement instrument. We always operate peacefully, but resistance from locals sometimes leads to skirmishes,’ he said.