Kanungu, Uganda — The family of the late Mzee Blasio Bamuturaki of Ibarya Cell, Kihanda Sub-county, Kanungu District, has called upon President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to intervene in what they allege is a plot by government officials and private individuals to grab their ancestral land.
The family claims that two Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Hajj Shafik Sekandi and Amanyire Ambrose Mwesigye are at the center of a scheme to illegally acquire their 70.2-acre estate, which they say is rich in minerals and was previously owned by their late father and mother, Mzee Blasio Bamuturaki and Joy Evelyn Kyabasasaki, who occupied the land from the 1950s until their deaths in 1994 and 2004, respectively.
Allegations of Collusion
According to the family, following the death of Kyabasasaki in 2004, then-RDC Hajj Sekandi allegedly colluded with a family member, Anna Kyahamutima, to forcibly remove other heirs from the land. They allege that before his transfer from Kanungu to Kisoro District, Sekandi had linked the land deal to senior government officials.
He was succeeded by Ambrose Mwesigye, who the family claims continued the land-grabbing efforts alongside his deputy, Rugajju (GISO). The two are accused of overseeing the destruction of family property, including a house and plantations.
Forced to Flee
Christine Joy Tumusiime, a daughter of the late Bamuturaki, claims the dispute forced her to flee Uganda in 2023 out of fear for her life. Now residing in the United Kingdom, she alleges that the RDCs, in collaboration with her sister and other officials, orchestrated a campaign of intimidation and land destruction.
“The dispute started in 2004 after our mother died. My sister took over the land and got support from the RDC. Since then, plantations were destroyed, and strangers were brought in to cultivate the land,” Tumusiime tearfully told this reporter.
She also recounted mysterious deaths of her siblings and alleged multiple attempts to arrest her, including one in Mbarara, where she was reportedly targeted by security officials working with the RDC.
Tumusiime claims a vehicle linked to a World Bank-funded project was used in these operations and that her workers were arrested in December 2023, with livestock displaced in the process.
“Because of this land, I have endured years of suffering, but I will not give up. It is our ancestral land, and I will fight to the end,” she vowed.
She has since petitioned various government and security offices but says she has yet to receive a response.
Accused Officials Respond
When contacted, RDC Amanyire Ambrose Mwesigye acknowledged knowledge of the matter but said his last involvement was in 2023, when he advised Tumusiime to take her case to the Administrator General.
“She came to my office claiming that her sister was chasing her off the land. I found they were having a family dispute over property that didn’t even have a title at the time it was under their brother’s name,” Mwesigye said.
He added that the family had already received UGX 1 billion in compensation for a government irrigation dam project on the same land. According to him, UGX 500 million was deposited into Tumusiime’s account and the rest to her sister’s.
He said the family was expected to vacate the compensated land by December 2024, but Tumusiime allegedly continues to occupy it, citing ongoing crop harvesting.
“Everyone else left voluntarily, but Christine remains and keeps saying she’s still harvesting. She was also compensated for graves and buildings,” Mwesigye added.
However, Rugajju, the Deputy RDC, denied any involvement in the matter, saying he has never participated in any land issues in Kihanda Sub-county.
