By Aggrey Baba In a rare show of resolve and principled leadership, State Minister for Lands, Hon. Dr. Sam Mayanja has emerged as a strong defender of the vulnerable in the controversial Kapapi land eviction in Hoima District, calling for full accountability for what he described as a grave breach of human rights.
Amid growing reports of brutality, sexual violence, and destruction of property during the eviction of over 2,000 residents from contested land in Bugahya County, Minister Mayanja has written to the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) demanding an independent investigation and immediate action.
According to the Minister, the alleged atrocities (including rape, arson, looting, destruction of crops, and beatings) cannot be ignored and must be addressed through established legal and human rights channels. He has tasked the Commission with not only establishing the facts but also holding the perpetrators accountable to restore dignity to the affected community.
The land in question, located on Plot 38, Bugahya Block 9, is part of the estate of the late Rukyalekerere Byangire Tito. However, disputes have emerged between long-term occupants, who claim tenancy since the 1940s, and the current estate beneficiaries, who reportedly acquired a certificate of title in 2008.
The evictees, led by community members such as Samuel Akuha and Abraham Mukuru, insist they are bona fide occupants and have accused individuals associated with the estate, including Moses Asiimwe, of orchestrating the illegal eviction in collusion with security operatives.
The controversy escalated after Minister Mayanja’s visit to the site on July 15, during which he issued clear directives for the immediate return of evictees to their land. He also instructed the resident district commissioner to apprehend all individuals involved in the unlawful eviction (orders which were allegedly ignored).
Instead, the minister reports that heavy deployment of UPDF and Police was carried out shortly after his departure, effectively preventing residents from reclaiming their homes.
Undeterred by the defiance of his orders, Minister Mayanja has escalated the matter to UHRC, urging the commission to enforce his directives, investigate the allegations, and restore the rights of both the evictees and the late Byangire’s legitimate heirs.
He emphasized that justice must not be selective and that land governance in Uganda must be anchored in the rule of law, not brute force or title manipulation.
In an environment where land conflicts are often politicized or swept under the carpet, Mayanja’s stance is being seen as both courageous and necessary. His willingness to confront powerful interests, including army officers implicated in the eviction, sends a strong message that land rights (particularly of the poor) are not to be trampled upon.
While some of the accused have denied wrongdoing, claiming that the evicted families were simply former tenants with expired leases, the depth of allegations and the emotional toll on the affected families has drawn public sympathy, with the eviction being linked to severe trauma, broken livelihoods, and disrupted education for children.
Sam Mayanja’s proactive intervention not only places him at the center of the quest for justice in Kapapi but also reaffirms his long-standing position on protecting land rights under Uganda’s Constitution and land laws.
