Over 500 Households and Businesses Face Eviction as Kamwenge Railway Land Reclamation Begins

What the report says

More than 300 households and about 200 business operators in Kamwenge Town Council, Kamwenge District, are facing displacement as Uganda Railways Corporation prepares to reclaim railway land and reserves. According to Nile Post, the exercise is scheduled to begin on October 26, 2026, and is part of a wider effort to recover encroached railway property.

Local officials said the town council has received formal notice from URC. Kamwenge Town Clerk Wilber Mucunguzi said residents had been warned in 2022 not to settle on railway land, but many remained in place. The affected area includes homes, shops, Kamwenge Railway Primary School and several churches, raising concern about where families and businesses will relocate.

Town Council Speaker Richard Mugisha urged people to comply with the directive, while also calling on government to consider the situation of those who have lived on the reserve for decades. Residents and traders said the move could disrupt livelihoods and make it difficult to find affordable alternative accommodation or business premises on short notice.

Nile Post also noted that the railway line opened in 1956, originally serving transport needs including copper from Kilembe Mines, before operations were suspended in 1998. After that, parts of the reserve were occupied by settlers and businesses. The planned reclamation highlights the tension between restoring public infrastructure and managing the social impact on long-established communities.