We need the president’s intervention – Locals decry against land grabbers
Amos Tayebwa
Mbarara
Locals, leaders from Bubare Sub-county in Kashari South Mbarara District have decried to President Museven and other government authorities to intervene into their land matters where a Mafia widow is grabbing a community/ government land and some individuals’ lands.
These are accusing a widow Joy Rwamahe and her children who have grabbed 14 hectares of land that belonged to Bubare sub-county and some few individuals whom she took their lands. According to the sources, it said that this land belonged to Late Frank Kyatuuka Rwamahe who sold this land to Bubare sub-county and some individuals whom he also sold some other pieces of land before he died. Rwamahe believed that he happened to work as LC3 Chairman for Bubare in the past years. Later when Rwamahe died, after some period of time, his wife Joy Rwamahe and her children came up and claimed the sub-county land that her husband sold this land illegally. She went to court and received judgment which the locals say that this judgment had loopholes.
According to the LC3 chairman Bubare sub-county Perez Kaberebere said that when Rwamahe died, the family took the sub-county to court claiming for the land where the sub-county had put a livestock market. He said that judgement was done in favor of joy Rwamahe. “Me as the current chairman am sure that the land belongs to the sub-county and there is evidence showing that Rwamahe sold us the land, these people took us in court and surprisingly court ruled in favor of the complainants when for us were not called in court to testify, they only called us in court on the judgment day. We don’t know which evidence did the court consider when for us we didn’t give our our affidavit. We have all the documents that hold evidence about the land in dispute, we are still consulting our legal people to take another step. We want the government to intervene and fight for the government land” said Kaberebere LC3 Chairman.
Speaking to the journalists in Mbarara town at Star Gardens, Locals alleged that there was connivance between the family of Rwamahe and late Robert Kanene, former LC3 chairman who aided Joy Rwamahe to take this land.
According to the one of the Elders Can. Jackson Bwisho former and founder LC3 Chairman Bubare Sub-county narrated how the sub-county bought this land during his tenure. He said that as the former LC3 Boss by then, he is the one who bought this land on behalf of the sub-county where they had had put a livestock market. He added that he collected money from the locals and paid Late Rwamahe whom the paid about 112,000= in 1981.
“During my time we bought this land from Late Rwamahe and put a livestock market. But I was absolutely confused when I heard that the widow Joy Rwamahe and her children are claiming for the same land that we bought with our own money. Why didn’t court call me and my fellows to testify about the history of this land other than sidelining with one party, this means there was corruption in the judgment. I am calling upon the president to intervene into these matters to secure the government land. Corruption has totally spoiled our country, I therefore call up on the authorities to arrest these people who are trying to grab our sub-county land” said Bwisho.
According to the locals who were part in this case said that they have been in court for about 10 years. They were sued alongside the sub-county by Joy Rwamahe, Taka Rwamahe, and Barbra Akankunda. Frank Kagimbe one of the locals who is also accused in this case said that for them they were only tenants on this land under the tenancy of the sub-county. “We have been hiring this land from the sub-county until we were chased out by Joy Rwamahe” said Kagimbe.
When these matters went beyond the control of community leadership, locals petitioned to Anti corruption agency called Global Ant Corruption Initiative who are taking the matter into control.
Moses Kakama Executive Director Global Ant Corruption Initiative said that they are yet to verify the judgement on how court ruled in favor of Joy Rwamahe whom the locals accuse that she is grabbing their land illegally. “For us our role in this, we shall check with court to find out the grounds on which they based to rule out on this case. We shall investigate this matter and we take to the relevant authorities to take action. We shall support these people as agency to open a new case against Joy Rwamahe so that they can retain their land. We have recommended that for us we shall go to court and verify the judgement that was made on this matter” said Kakama.