Over 1,000 Masindi residents face eviction over disputed forest land
“I was born here. I have no other home. Why should NFA change the boundaries now?”
Masindi: More than 1,000 residents from the cells of Kisabau, Mirya, Kikonya, and Kyetegya in Kigulya Division, Masindi Municipality, are facing potential eviction from land they have occupied for decades, following a boundary demarcation exercise carried out by the National Forestry Authority (NFA).
The disputed land, located around Kigulya Hill and estimated at over 100 acres, falls within what NFA claims is part of the Kigulya Forest Reserve.
On Friday, May 2, 2025, NFA officials, accompanied by armed personnel from the Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), reportedly installed boundary mark stones extending nearly one kilometre into what community members claim is their legally owned land.
Local leaders and residents allege that the demarcation was conducted without their knowledge or participation, which contradicts previous NFA exercises that involved community consultations.
“We were not involved this time,” said Alex Ujigi, LC2 Chairperson of Kigulya Ward, who claims to be among those affected. “In Kisabau Cell alone, over 300 residents are now landless. In total, about 100 acres in Kisabau, 200 in Mirya, 10 in Kyetegya, and even a government school in Kikonya have been affected.”
Ujigi further revealed that at least 35 residents, himself included, possess land titles issued in 2004, raising legal questions about NFA’s current boundary claims.
Long-time residents like 62-year-old Benjamin Byarugaba say the boundary move contradicts past agreements. “I acquired my 15 acres in 1969. The original NFA boundary was clearly marked. We had even agreed to hold a joint demarcation exercise, but instead, they marked my land in my absence.”
John Kajura, 72, added, “I was born here. I have no other home. Why should NFA change the boundaries now?”
Irene Kyomuhendo Kasisaki and Catherine Birungi, among other residents, also expressed frustration and heartbreak over the threat of eviction. “This is the only land I have. I am calling upon President Museveni to intervene,” Kasisaki pleaded.
Birungi said she bought her plot six years ago with intentions of settling, adding that many residents have even buried their relatives on the land now claimed by NFA.
Masindi Municipality Mayor, Ronald Businge Kyomuhendo, condemned the demarcation process. “Some of these residents hold government-issued land titles. This should not have been done without community involvement,” he said, promising to raise the matter at a district security meeting scheduled for Monday and to address residents during a rally in Kisabau on the same day.
In response, NFA spokesperson Aldon Walukamba maintained that the land falls under NFA jurisdiction, stating that several sensitization meetings had been held with locals in the past.
“We have consistently communicated that this land is part of the forest reserve,” Walukamba said, adding that residents with titles dating back to the 1930s are encouraged to present them for review by the government.
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