A storm is brewing in Busoga. In a move that has sent shockwaves through the kingdom and reignited a decades-long land row, State Minister for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja, has declared land in Kainogoga and Buwekula villages the rightful property of local residents not the Busoga Kingdom.
The minister’s bold declaration came after villagers recounted chilling tales of evictions, assaults, and intimidation allegedly sanctioned by none other than the Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Dr. Joseph Muvawala.
“Enough is enough,” Mayanja thundered during a heated meeting with residents. “If the Kyabazinga himself lacks executive powers, who gave Muvawala the authority to terrorise citizens?”
Mayanja didn’t stop there. He ordered the arrest of all involved in the evictions, including Muvawala and the LC1 chairperson of Buwekula, Jamawa Kwegemya. He also issued a no-bail directive, signaling that the law would come down hard on those abusing their positions.
And in a stunning move that has ignited cultural backlash, the minister ordered the closure of the Igenge Palace the official residence of the Kyabazinga demanding it be “cleansed” of rogue royal guards accused of assaulting residents.
The Busoga Kingdom has not taken the accusations lightly. In a swift rebuttal, the Kingdom’s Lands Minister, Fred Kyangwa, accused Mayanja of overstepping his constitutional mandate and interfering in a matter still before the courts.
“This is not just administrative overreach, it’s outright contempt of court,” Kyangwa said. “The land has belonged to Busoga Kingdom since the 1930s. We have the documents to prove it.”
Kyangwa also claimed that many of the so-called encroachers had formal lease agreements with the Kingdom and accused opportunists of grabbing land under political cover.
Despite the escalating war of words, residents in the disputed areas have hailed Mayanja as a hero standing up to “impunity in royal clothing.”
“For years, we’ve lived in fear. Our children have been threatened, our homes raided. What kind of kingdom does this to its people?” one elder said tearfully.
With tensions rising and arrests looming, the showdown between the central government and one of Uganda’s most prominent cultural institutions is far from over.
