The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba has intervened in the four-decades-long land dispute involving more than 900 residents from six villages in Bugiri district, following a directive from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

The disputed 3,000-hectare piece of land covers the villages of Wakawaka, Namulesa, Igotero, Kiluna, Isinda, and Kinawampiti in Bulidha sub-county. Residents accused businessman David Ochieng of illegally expanding his land and forcibly evicting families in 1987 and 1996, while Ochieng’s family said the land was legally acquired through a court-approved title.

Speaking during a meeting at Bugiri district headquarters, Nabakooba said the president instructed her ministry to investigate the matter after receiving numerous complaints from affected residents.

“I received a letter from the President on June 15th, directing the Ministry of Lands to intervene in this matter, establish the facts, and determine whether there was fraud,” Nabakooba said.

She announced that a multi-agency committee comprising officials from the Ministry of Lands, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and the Inspectorate of Government will investigate the dispute.

“Our purpose here is a fact-finding mission to ascertain when all the recurring events happened. We also want to establish the exact size of the land and how it transitioned from the original owners to the current landlords,” she said.

Residents, led by Hamza Kinatama, claim the conflict began in the 1980s when Ochieng allegedly expanded beyond land he had purchased and evicted hundreds of families.

“Mr. Ochieng claimed ownership of all the surrounding villages and used court rulings to evict residents, demolish homes, and destroy gardens,” Kinatama noted.

Representing his hospitalized father, David Junior Ochieng maintained that the land was legally purchased in 1978 and that the family won all court cases challenging its ownership.

“The courts ruled in our favour, and the eviction orders of 1987 and 1996 restored possession to Mr. Ochieng,” he said.

The minister said satellite imagery and fresh boundary surveys will be used to verify claims by both parties before a report is submitted to the government.