news 16 October 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Buikwe Residents Face 'Lockdown' Amidst 640-Acre Land Ownership Dispute
Over 2,000 residents in Buikwe District are living in fear and experiencing severe livelihood disruptions due to an ongoing land ownership battle between two companies, Kiziba Estates Limited and Sir Henry Morgan & Associates Limited. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/-we-feel-like-we-are-under-lockdown-2-000-buikwe-residents-caught-in-640-acre-land-battle-5634780
Residents of Lugala, Buyoba, and Muyiyibwe villages in Buikwe District are finding themselves in a precarious situation, feeling “under lockdown” as a land ownership dispute unfolds. Over 2,000 people reside on a 640-acre tract of land that has become the subject of a legal battle between Kiziba Estates Limited and Sir Henry Morgan & Associates Limited.
Recent events, including arrests and alleged restrictions on daily activities, have heightened anxieties among the long-term occupants. Many fear eviction from the land they have called home for decades. Residents report being unable to tend to their gardens, fetch water, or engage in other essential tasks without seeking permission from individuals reportedly deployed to the land. This has significantly impacted their livelihoods and created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
Local police confirmed the detention of several individuals found on the disputed property. The residents have protested these arrests, questioning why occupants, who are not direct parties to the ownership dispute, are being apprehended while the matter is still before the courts. Their immediate concern is the ability to continue living and cultivating their land without the threat of intimidation or forceful removal.
While a court order has temporarily restrained both claimants and their agents from dealing with the land or evicting occupants, the situation remains tense. The land dispute itself has a long history, tracing back to the early 1990s and involving complex financial transactions and subsequent claims. Both Kiziba Estates Limited and Sir Henry Morgan & Associates Limited maintain their claims to ownership, with one company stating they are in the process of buying off occupants while denying allegations of intimidation.
As the legal proceedings continue, the affected residents are appealing to the government and security agencies to ensure the enforcement of court orders and to safeguard their homes, gardens, and livelihoods from further disruption.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)