Mpokya Forest evictees seek land titles from gov’t for resettlement

KAKUMIRO, UGANDA: People who were evicted from Mpokya Forest have asked government to give them land titles for their resettled land.

The group under Mpokya land initiative in Kakumiro District is demanding legal ownership of the land given to them by government after resettling them from Mpokya Forest in Kabarole in 1992.

The group led by Geoffrey Agaba for Kisiita town council who is the overall leader for all camps, Matia Mwesigwa a representative from Katikara Sub county, Benon Tumwebaze for Mwitanzige Sub county, Charles Bizimana for Birembo among others are spearheading the initiative to acquire land titles.

Geoffrey Agaba says they intend to get representatives from all the 22 resettlement camps who will then engage government to offer them land titles.

Matia Mwesigwa the Chairperson of Mpokya community in Katikara Sub county says they may also be evicted from the land where they were resettled hence government should give them land titles for security purposes.
“We were evicted from Mpokya land because we had no land titles to prove ownership of the land, so in the same manner we may face eviction from this land where we were resettled due to lack land titles to prove legal ownership”. Mr. Mwesigwa said.

Hundreds of people were evicted from Mpokya Forest Reserve in Kamwenge district and resettled in the areas of Kisiita in Kakumiro District and other areas of Uganda. The evictees are scared of facing eviction from the resettled land and also demand compensation for their eviction.