Buikwe Residents Storm Lugazi Police Over Arrest of 20 in 640-Acre Land Dispute

What the report says

Residents from Lugala, Buyoba and Muyiyibwe villages in Buikwe District gathered at Lugazi Police Station on Monday to protest the arrest of people linked to a disputed 640-acre property. According to Nile Post, the community says the latest operations by police and army personnel have intensified fears of eviction in a long-running ownership fight between Kiziba Estates Limited and Sir Henry Morgan & Associates Limited.

The residents allege that security teams deployed on the land have restricted movement, beaten some occupants and destroyed crops. They say the pressure has affected more than 2,000 people living on or depending on the area, including elderly residents who fear losing their homes and gardens while the court case continues. One resident told the newspaper that people must seek permission even for ordinary activities such as fetching water or digging, underscoring the tension in the villages.

The land dispute is before the High Court in Lugazi, which has issued interim orders preventing interference with the property and stopping evictions until ownership is decided. That legal process is the wider context for the arrests and the heightened security presence described by residents.

Police spokesperson Hellen Butoto confirmed that 10 suspects were being held in connection with the dispute, while residents said the number arrested had risen to 20. The conflicting figures had not been resolved at the time of publication.