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Kikuube, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Bwera LCI in Kyangwali sub county, Kikuube district have killed 40 cows and torched four houses belonging to Pastor George Baguma from Bwera Miracle church over land wrangles. The more than 500 residents are feuding with the pastor over approximately 300 acres of land in Bwera village.
According to information obtained by URN, the feud has been on since last year. Residents accuse Baguma of trying to grab their ancestral land, which they have occupied for years. On Wednesday evening, residents raided Baguma’s home, killed 40 cows, and torched four houses.
Amlan Tumusiime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that the violence followed the arrest of five residents by the State House Land Protection Unit on Wednesday. He explains that the State House Land Protection Unit officials stormed the area in the company of Baguma and picked up the residents opposed to his schemes.
The arrests followed a petition filed by Baguma demanding for the eviction of the residents from the disputed land. Residents first blocked the road for hours to stop the State House Land protection unit officials from taking their colleagues prompting them to fire live bullets in the air to disperse them.
The angry residents regrouped when the state house office left and raided Baguma’s farm, where they hacked 40 cows to death. Baguma insists that he legally acquired the contested land and processed a title. He accuses the residents of encroaching on his land.
James Kyomuhendo, one of the residents accuses Baguma of using the police and soldiers to forcefully grab their land. URN could not independently verify this claim. Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson says that police have commenced investigations into the massive destruction of Baguma’s farm and slaughter of his animals.
No suspect has been arrested in connection with the mob action.
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