The Cultural Leader of Buruuli Chiefdom Mwogezzi Butamanya has petitioned President Yoweri Museveni protesting the eviction of 3000 residents from a four square miles piece of land in Nakasongola.
Ssabaruli Mwogezzi Butamanya, wants the president to intervene and find a solution to the land dispute between investor of Tirupati Company and 3000 residents in Lwabyata Sub County who are facing eviction to pave way for sugarcane growing.
Muhamadi Bagonza, the information minister of the chiefdom, has written to President Museveni asking him to halt the activities of Tirupati Company in the district and order them compensate all the tenants on the land before eviction.
Bagonza says the affected residents in Nalukonge, Kansira and Kikoge parishes are living under fear of eviction and lost morale to farm because they are on the verge of eviction and no compensation package has been given to them.
Bagonza says it is unfair to evict 3000 residents and render them landless.
Ssabaruuli Mwogeza Butamanya also accused the company for not consulting the local leaders when buying the land and vowed not to support the project until the subjects’ grievances are addressed.
Last week residents on disputed piece of land staged 3 days’ protests at Nabiswera-Lwabyata road and blocked the bulldozers of Trirupati Development (U) Ltd from starting eviction and petitioned the district council and Ssabaruuli over the matter.
Nakasongola District council rejected the project and summoned the officials of Tirupati Company to answer allegations of attempting to evict the residents without compensation but until now nobody has turned up at the district headquarters.
The sugarcane project of Tirupati company has faced stiff resistance in the district and all leaders of Nakasongola that include Women Member of Parliament Margaret Kyomuhangi,LC 5 Chairperson James Wandira,councillors and LC 3 chairmen have rejected it for causing displacement of tenants.
The public Relations officer of the company Cissy Namaganda has repeatedly refused to comment on the matter.
Tirupati Company allegedly bought disputed four square miles of land from Charles Musisi at undisclosed sums of money last year to grow sugarcane.
