Milton Olupot and Catherine Bekunda
13 November 2008
Kampala — THE Government is investigating rampant evictions by auctioneers, usually accompanied by the Police and Local Defence Unit officers.
Prime Minister Prof. Apolo Nsibambi yesterday told Parliament that internal affairs minister Ruhakana Rugunda was investigating the matter.
Nsibambi was responding to an outcry from Kawempe South MP Sebuliba Mutumba, who said the evictions were being carried out in his constituency at night.
He said this week, a group of people escorted by the Police, attacked residents of Makerere II Zone at 3:00am where they carried out evictions.
He accused Edward Sekabanja, the Kawempe deputy resident district commissioner, of colluding with the people who are grabbing land.
"Sekabanja has been directing the people to go to a kiosk in Wandegeya to get money and leave the land, and warning them that if they do not (follow the instructions), they would be evicted by Friday," Mutumba said.
"I am tired of being waken up by bullets and wailing children and women. The Government must do something," he said.
Nsibambi replied: "The issue of eviction is critical and that is why the Land (Amendment) Bill is coming. I hope you will support it. We are not going to allow people to be evicted at night. Even day evictions must be lawful," he said.
Kasese Woman MP Winfred Kiiza told Parliament that clashes between cattle keepers and farmers in the district had intensified, with 15 people and 30 animals dead and houses destroyed recently.
She said an inter-ministerial committee and a select committee set up independently to investigate the matter a year ago had reported on the matter.
Rugunda said the inter-ministerial committee had solved some of the problems and that investigations were ongoing.
Meanwhile, education minister Namirembe Bitamazire, while responding to concerns by MPs over the state of education for Karimojong children, argued that the children be absorbed in schools in the neighbouring areas.
She also encouraged the Karimojong to mix with other communities.
The minister said the Government would expand infrastructure in the receiving schools outside Karamoja.
She said the World Food Programme was providing food for pupils at school, adding that some donors had started building nursery schools for children in Karamoja.
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