Residents Storm Playground to Stop Alleged Land Grab in Buwama

Tension has escalated in Buwama Town Council after angry residents reinstalled goalposts on a century-old community playground allegedly destroyed by a landowner seeking to reclaim the land for private development.

Residents of Namasabo Village in Jalamba Parish, Buwama Town Council, have stormed their community playground and reinstalled goalposts after one of their fellow residents allegedly destroyed the field in an attempt to reclaim the land for personal use.

The angry residents, led by village chairperson Godfrey Kagugube and local leader Agness Nakayiiwa, took it upon themselves to restore the playground in protest against the actions of Geoffrey Katumba, who reportedly cleared the field despite acknowledging that the land legally belongs to him.

The residents argued that ownership of the land does not justify the destruction of a playground that has served the community for over 100 years.

“We have never witnessed such selfishness. We were born finding this playground here; our grandparents used it, our parents used it, and now our children and grandchildren use it too. Just because someone believes they have money and power does not mean they can remove our playground. That will never happen,” the residents said.

The locals explained that the playground serves multiple community purposes including sports, introduction ceremonies, weddings and school activities.

“Children play here, schools in this area use this field, and the community gathers here for different functions. Unless someone wants people to start paying expensive fees to use private facilities elsewhere, how can they think of removing such a playground?” residents questioned.

They further expressed concern that losing the playground could contribute to increased crime and social problems among the youth since it is the only recreational space available in the area.

“This is the only playground in the entire village. Every evening, young people gather here for sports and recreation. If this field is taken away, where will they go? Many bad habits have been avoided because the youth spend their time here playing football instead of engaging in alcoholism and other harmful behaviors,” local leaders noted.

Elders in the village, some of whom witnessed the establishment of the playground decades ago, also condemned attempts to eliminate it.

Namasabo Village Chairperson Godfrey Kagugube said local leaders had tried to engage the landowner in dialogue to preserve the playground, but negotiations reportedly collapsed after Katumba allegedly refused to cooperate.

“It is shocking for someone to think they are above the law at all times. Whether he likes it or not, this playground must remain because every community with young people needs a sports ground. Since Katumba rejected discussions with leaders and chose to use force, the residents have also responded strongly,” Kagugube said.

The situation has since escalated, with residents threatening to expel Katumba from the village over the destruction of the playground.

Buwama Town Council Mayor Abdul Rashid Nkinga and area legislator Hon. Teddy Nambooze visited the village in an attempt to calm tensions and condemned the incident.

“We appeal to residents to continue engaging peacefully with the landowner. What happened here is unfortunate because it undermines opportunities for children and deprives the community of an important facility. If this playground has existed for many years, why should it suddenly disappear without any agreement being reached?” Hon. Teddy Nambooze said.

However, the landowner, Geoffrey Katumba, defended his actions, saying he has development plans for his land but remains willing to cooperate with residents if they can identify another suitable location for the playground.

“I told the residents to look for another piece of land equivalent to this playground and I will help establish it there because I have personal projects I want to undertake on my land. But their chairman keeps rejecting every proposal. I simply want to use my property,” Katumba explained.

By the time of filing this report, residents had continued reinstalling the goalposts that had allegedly been uprooted using a tractor, insisting that they would not surrender the playground.