Xavier Radio Ug News 24 7
By Amos Tayebwa
The long-running Kyarwabuganda land dispute has taken a dramatic turn after Mbarara City authorities and security leaders warned businessman David Buryo never to step on the contested land again, accusing him of intimidation and presenting what they describe as a fake court ruling.
The warning follows an incident in which Buryo reportedly appeared at Kyarwabuganda, escorted by soldiers and an army truck, to deliver a High Court ruling to the LC1 Chairperson, Steven Katureebe, claiming full authority over the land.
However, the Office of the Resident City Commissioner (RCC) and Mbarara City leadership have dismissed the move, insisting Buryo has no legal ownership of the land.
City Businessman Buryo-David recently when he was arrested over Kyarwabuganda land
A few months ago, Mbarara City Council—particularly leaders from Mbarara City North Division—dragged Buryo to the Office of the Commissioner for Land Registration in Kampala over attempts to grab public land measuring 14.619 hectares located in Kakoma Ward, Mbarara City North Division.
The Commissioner cancelled Buryo’s land title after establishing that it had been fraudulently issued on top of an existing title belonging to Mbarara City.
Unhappy with the decision, Buryo appealed to the High Court in Kampala, challenging the Commissioner’s ruling that favored the city authorities.
Recently, Buryo surfaced with another court ruling indicating that the applicant was entitled to an order setting aside the dismissal and reinstating the suit. This development has caused confusion among some city leaders and presidential representatives, who insist the ruling does not grant him ownership of the land.
The Mayor of Mbarara City North Division, Gumisiriza Kyabwisho, said Buryo’s latest claims cannot overturn the earlier decision that cancelled his title.
“As council, we already have a genuine title for that land. We are not threatened by the ruling we are hearing about. Buryo cannot take Kyarwabuganda land,” Kyabwisho said.
The mayor revealed that the city plans to establish a Seed School on the land, a project already approved by the Ministry of Education, with a contractor having signed an agreement.
He further accused unnamed individuals of fueling land-grabbing schemes using politics and compromised institutions.
“Some mafias, backed by political interests, are manipulating processes. They even dragged NEMA into it, falsely claiming the land is a wetland. Kyarwabuganda has never been a wetland. These are land-grabbing tactics,” Kyabwisho added.
Mayor Kyabwisho
According to Jackline Kankunda, the Deputy RCC for Mbarara City North, a security committee meeting involving the RCC’s office, city leadership, and security heads resolved to block any deployment on the land.
“The RCC is writing to Buryo, copying the RPC, DPCs, and other security agencies, making it clear that no deployment will take place on that land,” Kankunda said.
She added that Buryo has been barred from stepping on the land until the Court of Appeal makes a final determination.
“As far as we know, Buryo has no title. It was cancelled because it was fraudulently obtained. Council has a genuine title. We do not want Buryo coming back with security to intimidate residents,” she emphasized.
The Kyarwabuganda land dispute remains one of the most contentious public land battles in Mbarara City, with authorities vowing to protect public property from what they describe as organized land-grabbing syndicates.
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