The battle for relocation compensation has erupted across Uganda as the government launches a massive nationwide eviction exercise.
The operations, which commenced on October 12th, 2026, have thrown hundreds of families occupying Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) land into panic.
For locals who spent 30 years investing their life savings into these railway reserves, the core issue is the state’s absolute refusal to provide financial compensation for their displacement.
Refusing to yield empty-handed, affected communities have petitioned the High Court Land Division to demand financial restitution.
In the official court petitions, residents seek an emergency injunction, asserting that the threatened actions are based on bad faith to evict them without compensation.
The affected persons in their petitions argue that they qualify as “bona fide” occupants under the Uganda Land Act after decades of uninterrupted settlement.
The lawyers representing these affected residents urged that many families purchased plots in good faith from individuals claiming to represent past railway management, adding that they bought these properties through seemingly legitimate transactions, advocates insisted uncompensated eviction violates basic rights.
Local authorities find themselves caught between state directives and constituents’ financial desperation. Zedekiah Kayiri, the Deputy Town Clerk of Kasese Municipality, one of the heavily impacted areas advised residents on how to handle their claims.
“Residents claiming to have purchased plots should present their cases directly to the corporation, which is responsible for the land,” Kayiri stated.
He noted that verifying past purchases remains the community’s only leverage for a payout.
However, the central government, backed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, maintains a hardline stance against financial relief. The URC Spokesperson, John Linon Ssengendo confirmed that the corporation will not offer compensation, aiming instead to clear the land permanently.
“The government is also coordinating with the Ministry of Lands to cancel any registered titles within the reserves,” Ssengendo stated, signaling an intent to legally wipe out payout claims.
This standoff sets a tense precedent across Uganda, where the cost of progress is being borne entirely by citizens. The refusal to grant compensation is being enforced uniformly across major railway lines, including Kampala-Malaba, Tororo-Gulu, and the Busoga Loop.
As legal avenues narrow and the government stands firm on its zero-payout policy, displaced citizens nationwide face the grim reality of losing their 30-year investments with absolutely no financial safety net to catch them.
