The Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura has ordered investigation of two Sudanese investors and top officials in Luweero over allegations that they are trying to evict more than 500 residents to pave way for sugarcane growing.
In 2011, two Sudanese investors Usama Gubara El Khidir and Omar Khidir Muhamed, under Goodman International Company, acquired a 44 year lease of the 120.9 hectares of land in Luweero and Butuntumula Sub Counties from Bukalasa land board to grow sugarcane.
However, last week more than 500 residents protested the project and uprooted mark stones that were planted to survey the land ahead of the sugarcane growing. The residents through their area Member of Parliament and minister for works and transport, Abraham Byandaala, petitioned Major General Kale Kayihura. They are demanding for a halt of the project and an investigation on how the investors got the land.
The residents also asked IGP Kayihura to investigate Luweero LC 5 Chairman Abdul Nadduli, Bukalasa Land Board officials and the District police Commander Samuel Bamuzibire. According to the residents, the three officials have personal interests and are allegedly conniving with the investors to evict the locals without compensation after they secured a bribe from the investors.
Hassan Ssegawa, the chairman of aggrieved residents says that they want Kayihura to order the investors off the land because it is highly populated and it is illogical to evict people for sugarcane growing.
Kayihura ordered a special probe committee headed by Assistant Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Kusiima and Assistant Inspector of Police Martin Aliko from Kampala Central Police Station- land police protection unit to investigate the project. On Easter weekend the two police officers visited the disputed land and recorded statements of the affected residents as well as taking pictures of the uprooted mark stones.
The probe committee also talked to Abdul Nadduli and DPC Samuel Bamuzibire over their role in the project.
Speaking to URN Reporter on phone, Emilian Kayima the spokesperson for land police protection unit said the probe committee will summon the two investors to explain how they got the land and on the alleged threats to evict the residents without compensation.
He also says that every official who has been mentioned by residents will be investigated. Kayima explains that the residents will stay on the land until investigations are complete and their issues addressed.
Attempts to get a comment from the investors were unsuccessful but the district chairman Abdul Nadduli who is marketing the project accused Minister Byandaala of giving false information to IGP Kayihura and sabotaging development.
Nadduli says that he doesn’t have personal interests in the project but wants it to transform the communities.
