More than 200 families have been ordered to vacate the Uganda Peoples Defence forces (UPDF) land in Kyankwanzi.
The families currently occupying more than 40 square miles of land, have been given a 60-days eviction notice to leave the area or face forceful eviction.
The eviction notice, a copy of which Uganda Radio Network has seen, was signed by the UPDF land board chairman, Brigadier Jerome Mugume, and copied to the area Resident District Commissioner, the LC5 chairman, the L3 chairman and police.
According to the notice, the eviction stems from the residents failure to formalize their stay on the land, which is also home to the National leadership institute.
During a closed meeting held on Thursday morning, the district LC5 chairman, Siraje Kizito Nkugwa, warned the army against the planned eviction. He said that many of the residents have lived on the land for more than 10 years.
Nkugwa described the planned eviction as unfair, in light of the fact that government recently planned to resettle the Buliisa Herdsmen in Kyankawanzi. He threatened to mobilize the residents to resist the eviction.
But Brig. Mugume instead blamed Nkungwa for aiding settlers on army land without the consent of the UPDF Land Board.
The Army spokesman, Maj Felix Kulayigye, expressed shock at the latest developments in Kyankwanzi, but declined to give any further comment. He said he needs more time to investigate the source of the eviction notice.
