Residents of Kiteetika-Komamboga Village in Wakiso District have been shocked to discover six grave-like structures built in the night on a piece of land that is currently a point of conflict between a family and unknown individuals. The structures were empty, and when family members tried to demolish them, police intervened.
The 10-acre piece of land reportedly belonged to one Paul Bitarabeho who died three decades ago. In June this year, according to the deceased’s son Mark Paul Bitarabeho, they received an eviction notice from unknown people.
In the notice, they were asked to vacate the land for renovation of a burial site they had never encountered for all the years they had occupied the land.
“We have lived on this land all our lives and we have been carrying out mechanised agriculture but we have never seen any burial grounds on it. However, in June we received people who claimed to be the owners of the land saying that they wanted to renovate the burial site of their relatives,” Bitarabeho said.
He claimed that the unidentified agitators are always clad in National Resistance Movement (NRM) yellow T-shirts and Muhoozi Project shirts. These, Bitarabeho, believes are behind the grave construction.
“We resisted and also reported the matter to police. They (perpetrators) always come wearing NRM yellow T-shirts and Muhoozi project shirts. We have no reason to doubt they are the ones behind the construction of these fake graves on the,” he added.
Bitarabeho said that the structures were built in a maize garden after the crops were destroyed. When they demolished the structures, they were empty, at which police intervened to apprehend some of the family members.
“Police arrested some of our family members for demolishing the grave-like structures that were built by the encroachers at night. If they claim to be the rightful landowners, why do they have to renovate their graves at night?” Bitarabeho wondered.
According to the Kiteetika LC1 chairperson, Moses Asaba, the matter is beyond his office because the new claimants are unknown in the area and to him. He advised the family to take it up to courts of law.
“At my level as an LC1 chairperson I have known this land to belong to Bitarabeho’s family and the current claimants are not known to my office. This case should be taken to court where both parties will be required to produce sufficient evidence to prove ownership,” Asaba said.
Kampala Metropolitan police deputy spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire said the dispute is known to police. He asked the victims to report to court as police finalise a report on the issue.
