District Leadership Moves to Decongest Camp Amid Land Wrangles and Hygiene Concerns

In a bid to address growing humanitarian and environmental concerns, district leaders have begun engaging residents of a congested camp to reduce its population, with particular focus on reintegrating school-going children into the formal education system.

According to officials, the camp’s population has steadily increased over time, leading to worsening hygiene conditions and limited access to education for children.

Local authorities are now calling for collective efforts to ensure that children leave the camp environment and resume their studies.

“We are engaging the people in the camp to see how we can reduce these numbers. Our focus is ensuring that children go to school and that hygiene is maintained in this area,” said Zepher Mubingwa, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) in charge of Busongora.

However, efforts to decongest the camp have been met with resistance from residents, who say the root of their prolonged displacement lies in unresolved land conflicts. Many claim that their ancestral land was grabbed and that attempts to return have led to arrests and intimidation.

“There is no way we can leave this place. The issue here is land grabbing. You are telling us to return to land that is in conflict. What are you promoting? Their aim is to arrest us again. We are not going back,” said camp chairperson Grace Biira, her voice filled with emotion.

Residents also voiced frustration over what they described as repeated but empty government promises spanning nearly two decades.

They claim that in the absence of state intervention, local farmers have had to mobilise up to Shs50 million from their own pockets to facilitate surveyors meant to open land boundaries—an exercise they argue should be government-funded.

“We’ve talked to the Minister of State for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja, and we expect him and his team on the 11th of this month. But truthfully, he has been here several times, and nothing changes. This has become a waste of government resources—vehicles, fuel, allowances—nothing to show for it,” Biira said.

The residents are now calling for fresh leadership from the Ministry of Lands to intervene decisively, accusing the current system of inefficiency and political theatre.

“Our demand is not for land handouts. All we want is for the government to open boundaries on the land it gave out, so everyone knows where they begin and end. This shouldn’t take more than a week. We have waited 18 years,” one resident said.

As the district leadership presses ahead with efforts to reduce congestion and restore order, the community remains wary, awaiting concrete action from the Ministry of Lands.

Tensions remain high, and hopes are cautiously pinned on the promised visit by Mayanja, though many fear it could mark yet another chapter in what they describe as a long-running “circus.”