Africa-Press – Uganda. Tororo District security committee has ordered about 2,000 rice growers in the disputed Amurwo wetland to vacate to contain the rivalry over ownership of the swamp.
The wetland stretches from West Budama North East through Namwendya parish in Sop Sop Sub-county to Tororo County North through Merikit Sub-county.
Communities from West Budama North East and Tororo County North claim ownership of the wetland.
During a visit to the wetland this week, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr Albert Amula, said the decision is aimed at restoring sanity in the area.
“We have decided that the contested wetland becomes out of bounds and no human activity is allowed,” Mr Amula said.
“We are going to deploy security to cordon the entire swamp restraining any person from accessing the swamp until we find a lasting solution,” he added.
The district chairperson, Mr John Okeya, said they had given the sub-county leadership time to resolve the conflict but they failed.
“Since the community members are not ready to co-exist and use the wetland peacefully, all those cultivating in the disputed land must stop,” Mr Okeya said.
He added that although the National Environment Management Authority Act states that wetlands belong to the government, there are some individuals who claim ownership.
“We prefer handing over the ownership to the sub counties so that they can rent space to farmers to generate local revenue,” he said.
Mr Wilson Nyamboro, the LC3 chairperson of Sop Sop Sub-county, said the eviction is a big blow to the communities.
“Most of them have been earning a living from the swamp, so evicting them is sending them to criminality,” he said.
Mr Nyamboro added that efforts between the rival two communities failed.
Mr Charles Osinde the LC3 chairperson of Merikit Sub-county, said River Nampeyo separates the two communities but the district wants to alter the boundary for personal reasons.
Mr Osinde added that some of the communities had identified rice growing as one of the enterprises that would be funded under the parish development model.
Mr Luciano Owere, 47, one of the affected residents from Sop Sop, said the directive should be rescinded.
“Some of us entirely depend on that wetland and that is how have educated our children from the rice proceeds and now telling us to vacate without providing an alternative source of livelihood is absurd,” he said.
Mr Constant Kitali, a resident of Mbogo Village in Amurwo parish, Merikit, accused his West Budama counterparts of using the police to carry out unlawful arrests.
“It is not logical that boundaries can be altered at this time when some of us have been renting out the land to those who are now claiming to be landlords,” he said.
He said those claiming ownership of the land should show proof.
However, the district police commander, Mr Fredrick Ahimbizibwe, said they have recorded several cases of assault over the disputed ownership of the wetland.
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The conflict started in 2005 when two people Richard Ochar and Peter Oketch Jamagara initiated the process of surveying more than 710 acres of land. They claimed that they bought the land from one Godfrey Osuna and Yuweri Waira, residents of Naweyo Central village in Sop Sop Sub-county. However, a section of residents resisted the move, resulting in severe attacks. This divided people along the counties of West Budama North East and Tororo County North.
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