A fierce Kayunga land clash has erupted into a legal firestorm as Ms Penina Awori Mulindwa accuses local police officers of derailing justice. The dispute centers on a 100-acre plot in Butalabuna Village, acquired by Awori in 2016 to build a hospital and orphanage. But her vision now stands threatened by a wave of resistance, sabotage, and, she says, blatant police misconduct.
The property, located in Kayunga Sub-county, remains occupied by tenants who refuse to vacate. Though they demand compensation, Ms Awori says none have shown proof of land rights. She claims to have already sent compensation funds through a local leader, but the tenants deny receiving any money.
In a formal petition dated June 25, Ms Awori alleged that Kayunga Central Police Station officers obstructed court proceedings by pulling three suspects—accused of vandalizing construction works—out of the court holding cells before their scheduled appearance. One of them was the Butalabuna Village Chairperson, Mr Samuel Ssekanza.
Suspects Freed, Justice Delayed
According to the petition, officers removed the suspects from custody without legal grounds and returned them to the police station. Ms Awori later learned they had been quietly released on police bond. “The police intervened in court processes with no justification,” she wrote. “That action undermined due process and emboldened the suspects.”
She called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to launch a disciplinary probe and punish officers who acted outside the law.
In response, Kayunga RDC Mariam Seguya and NRM District Chairperson Moses Karangwa defended the bond release. They argued the suspects had legal rights and accused Ms Awori of persecuting locals.
Political Pressure Fuels the Conflict
The conflict escalated further when State Minister for Lands Sam Mayanja visited the contested land in April. During his visit, he told tenants to stay put—a move Ms Awori says gave them the confidence to destroy buildings already under construction.
Shortly after, the police arrested three individuals linked to the property damage. However, those arrests fell apart when the suspects never made it to court. Police officials at Kayunga CPS declined to comment when contacted. Ssezibwa Regional Police spokesperson Hellen Butoto later stated that she hadn’t received a report but promised investigations would proceed.
Ms Awori, frustrated by what she sees as political sabotage, urged local leaders to support rather than block private investment. “This project will bring health care and jobs to the community. It’s disappointing that leaders are instead defending those who destroy progress,” she said.
Land Wrangles Haunt Kayunga
Land disputes are common in Kayunga District, especially in the cattle corridor zones of Bbaale County, where conflicts frequently lead to destruction, displacement, or worse. The current Kayunga land clash has evolved into more than a property fight—it’s become a symbol of broader concerns about justice, land ownership, and state neutrality in land conflicts.
For similar stories, explore how a family blocked a burial in Wakiso during a land row, how President Museveni publicly condemned land grabbing and corruption, the tense Wakiso church land dispute, and a high-stakes Stanbic Bank mortgage case ruling that could reshape land financing laws.