Evicted Lusanja residents march to Parliament over Museveni’s ‘unfulfilled promise’

By Mubiru Ivan

Over 200 evicted Lusanja residents have on Monday camped at Parliament to petition Speaker Rebecca Kadaga over the delayed quick fix into their matter.

The residents who have been in running battles with police since morning were evicted last month by a one Medard Kiconco. About 350 houses were razed and in the process and more than 300 families were left homeless.

Since then, they have been sleeping under tents and last Saturday they were ‘washed’ away by the heavy downpour.

Moving with tree branches and placards, the aggrieved residents demanded that the Speaker probes into their matter citing that President Yoweri Museveni promised them thin air.

Days after the mass demolition, President Museveni visited met the residents and promised to compensate all people who had lost their property in the incident, adding that no one would take their land.

“According to the Constitution of Uganda, the law on land is very clear and stipulates that a person, who was on a piece of land for 12 years by the time that Constitution was promulgated, is a rightful owner. The Constitution also says that a person who was on land after 1983 is a bona-fide occupant/squatter who holds a right to negotiate and dialogue with the land owner for settlement,” said Museveni then.

 Adding, “Even an illegal occupant on the land should be allowed possible negotiations to vacate the land normally,”

He further pledged that government will be looking after them in terms of food relief and shelter until the matter is solved.

Meanwhile, the residents are still stuck outside Parliament as the speaker is yet to meet them.