60-year-old widow evicted in Pallisa
A man carries a matress from a house after forfecul eviction of 60-year-old widow in Pallisa District. Photo/Yahudu Kitunzi
What you need to know:
- Ms Kavambuga, whose household items were destroyed during the eviction, said the council leadership was working on orders of Mr Outa Umar, a local developer, who had been pressuring her and her family to sell him the land in question to enable him access his commercial house.
A 60-year-old widow and her family are currently stranded after being forcefully evicted from a home in Mutembei Cell, Pallisa Town Council in Pallisa District by the town council leadership.
Ms Asanansi Kavambuga and her family were thrown out on Tuesday from a land they had been living in since 1980s, because her home was constructed on a road reserve.
Ms Kavambuga, whose household items were destroyed during the eviction, said the council leadership was working on orders of Mr Outa Umar, a local developer, who had been pressuring her and her family to sell him the land in question to enable him access his commercial house.
“Mr Outa had promised to compensate me with Shs7m, but he only paid Shs3m. He failed to give me the balance in 2020 and he later told me that he couldn’t add me money. Instead, he said he would use the town council to evict me, which he did,” Ms Kavambuga, a mother of eight children, said on Tuesday.
Mr Outa dismissed allegations of evicting Ms Kavambuga . “It is the town council that demolished her houses. I don’t work in the council,” Mr Outa said.
He, however, said the victim sold the land in question. “She sold me the land and I paid her in July last year. But shortly, I was told it was a road reserve.”
Ms Kavambuga claimed that during the eviction, her permanent houses got razed.
“I was not home by the time the town council demolished my house. I received a call from well-wishers that the town council officials, without a court order, demolished my houses,” she said.
Ms Kavambuga also claimed people looted her items, including clothes, iron sheets, food, and mattresses.
“I am now stranded without shelter, food, and clothes,” she said.
Ms Kavambuga, a wife to a late UPDF soldier, Abdu Tigilangawo, wants Shs80m as compensation from the town council.
Daily Monitor has learnt that the victim also went to report a case of malicious damage at Pallisa Central Police Station.
“Police told me that they cannot register my case of malicious damage and forceful eviction. They said they have orders from above not to register my case,” Ms Kavambuga said.
When contacted for a comment, the Bukedi North regional police spokesperson, SP Samuel Semeo, dismissed allegations of police conniving with the developer to evict the old woman.
“The eviction was carried out by the law enforcement officers of Pallisa Town Council,” SP Semeo said.
Mr John Bosco Wabwire, a lawyer, said the government unlawfully acquired the land.
He said since the land is privately owned, Pallisa Town Council would only own it through lawful channels.
According to Article 26 (2) of the 1995 Constitution, the government can only acquire private land upon prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation before taking possession.
