SIMEO NSUBUGA BACKS KASANDA RESIDENTS' PETITION TO MUSEVENI OVER FOREST LAND DISPUTE.

President Yoweri Museveni has been called upon by over thirty thousand residents in Mannyogaseka Sub-county, Kassanda District, to grant them formal ownership of the Kyabbego land. This area, once a government forest reserve, is now at the centre of a land dispute, with residents seeking to secure land titles to safeguard their homes and livelihoods. The residents argue that while the forest no longer exists, they still face uncertainty and fear of eviction by individuals who claim legal ownership through land titles.
The residents, who occupy 27 square miles of land, made their plea during a meeting held at Mariagorreti Secondary School, a government institution in Mannyogaseka. The event was organised by Simeo Nsubuga, their former MP, and Pheobeh Namulindwa, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC). The area comprises several public institutions, including five government schools, six mosques, six Protestant churches, 58 Pentecostal churches, and the Kyamuswa Health Centre III, all of which play a significant role in the community’s social and religious life.
The residents, many of whom were born on this land, expressed their concern about the ownership disputes. They claim that outsiders hold land titles and that they have been threatened with eviction. These residents are told that they are living on land once part of the Kyabbego forest reserve, a designation they believe no longer holds weight, given that the forest was de-gazetted in 1998.
Simeo Nsubuga, who represented the community in parliament, supported the residents’ call, stating that the land claim based on the forest reserve was no longer valid. He pointed to the 1998 gazette, which, according to his review, indicated that the Kyabbego forest reserve was dissolved, and thus, the land should be made available for formal ownership by the long-standing residents.
In response, RDC Namulindwa promised to present the residents' concerns to President Museveni, emphasizing the importance of resolving the issue. She highlighted that it would be unfortunate for the government to evict people from an area where significant development has occurred. Among these developments is the Maria Gorreti School, a project that cost the government 2.8 billion shillings.