Minister survives lynching over land dispute in Uganda

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The JICA project is meant to promote the growing of rice and protection of the wetland in the swampy land that has been a source of conflict

Mbale. Chaos ensued as a minister and district officials fled in different directions from a charged crowd that claimed the officials had come to grab their land.

Gunfire rocked Kibiniko village in Bungokho Sub-county in Mbale District as residents armed with spears, clubs and stones chased the Environment state minister, Ms Flavia Nabugera Munaaba, and her entourage from a disputed swamp outside Mbale Municipality.

The minister, accompanied by LC5 chairpersons, RDCs, CAOs, wetland and environment officials from the districts of Budaka, Manafwa, Bududa, Kibuku, Pallisa and Tororo, had come to launch the Doho – Namatala Wetland System Framework Management Plan.

The JICA project is meant to promote the growing of rice and protection of the wetland in the swampy land that has been the source of conflict between the Bagisu and neighbouring Bagwere tribes.

As the minister’s entourage toured the area, residents started shouting, brandishing clubs and pangas, demanding that the minister and officials leave. “You will not grab our land.” “Get off our land,” the residents shouted as others undressed, nude to express their dissatisfaction. On sensing danger, the minister and her team began a retreat towards their waiting vehicles.

Charged, the mob threw stones at them as they chased, necessitating the team to run for dear life. Efforts by the Regional Police Commander, Jacob Opolot, together with the eight policemen who had been deployed, to calm down the enraged residents were futile. They continued hurling insults and pelting stones at the minister and her entourage.

In the process Ms Munaaba’s official vehicle UG 1864A was hit and damaged on the sides while another vehicle Reg No UG 1840S belonging to JICA had its rear windscreen shattered.