By Leah Kukunda
RUSHERE- KIRUHURA: A 71- year old widow in Kiruhura District, has accused her brother –in law’s children of using powerful connections to the state to invade her ranch.
The children who belong to the famous Kanyamunyu family, are accused of invading and occupying the late James Kafamaisho’s ranch and are plotting to evict his widow. The Kanyamunyu/Kafamaisho ranch dispute is perhaps the most popular land dispute in Kiruhura district. In spite of President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to Kiruhura district officials to dislodge the invaders, almost a year, the Kanyamunyu have not only invaded the ranch, threatened violence, they are also plotting to evict Kafamaisho’s widow. Late Perez Kanyamunyu and James Kafamaisho were brothers.
MediaScape News spoke to Kafamaisho’s widow, Florence Kafamaisho, 71, from Kikatsi village, Nyabushozi County, Kiruhura district.
MediaScapeNews: When and how did you get this ranch?
Kafamaisho: The ranch was acquired by my late husband James Kafamaisho and his late brother Perez Kanyamunyu in 1965 when the Uganda government gave out land to individuals and groups who had capacity to develop ranches. Thus, the Uganda government allocated Ranch No: 11 at Bunonko, Kikatsi, Nyabushozi County, Ankole- now Kiruhura district to my husband Kanyamunyu and his brother Kanyamunyu as partners. The allocation of this ranch to my husband and his brother, Kanyamunyu is well documented in the “Minutes 9/65 selection of ranchers and allocation of ranches” held on April 1, 1965 at the Ministry of Animal Industry, Game and Fisheries in Kampala.
MediaScapeNews: What is the size of the ranch?
Kafamaisho: Before the restructuring program by the National Resistance Movement government in 1992, the ranch was 5 square miles. But after the program, the ranch was reduced to 2 square miles, approximately 521 hectares.
MediaScape News: When did the wrangle start?
Kafamaisho: It started in 1999 when the sons of the late Kanyamunyu started claiming ownership of the entire ranch. But my husband went to the Ministry and got evidence that the ranch was co-owned between him and his brother Kanyamunyu. As a matter of fact, in December 2000, the Land Inspection Division Ministry of Lands wrote a letter to the chairman Mbarara district Land Board indicating that Ranch No: 11 was co-owned by Mr. Kafamaisho and Kanyamunyu and also proposed that the ranch be partitioned into two equal parts of One square mile, but the family of Kanyamunyu rejected the proposal made by Mbarara district land board.
MediaScape News: What happened thereafter?
Kafamaisho: On March 5, 2001, the family of the late Kanyamunyu led by Mr. Benon Kahangire and Pastor Hannington Noowe took my husband to the LC 1, Court claiming ownership of the entire ranch; but the truth prevailed. The LC 1 court ruled in favour of my late husband. But when my husband died, Kanyamunyu’s son started to harass and intimidate me and my children. It was then that I decided to approach President Yoweri Museveni for help.
MediaScape News: When did you approach President Museveni for help?
Kafamaisho: I approached President Museveni in October 2018 for assistance. President Museveni assigned his legal aide Ms. Florence Kiconco to assist me but I got no assistance whatsoever. Meanwhile, the Kanyamunyu family continued harassing me and my children. In June 2021, they invaded my land with about 130 heads of cattle herded by about twenty hired Karamajong warriors from Karamoja region armed from machetes, spears, arrows and bows. They had orders to kill me and my children if I dare confront them to leave my land. I live in fear because they have vowed to kill me. Since they invaded my land, I have lost more than twenty heads of cows and other property. They have also vandalized my ranch and cut down hundreds of my eucalyptus trees.
MediaScape News: Did you report this matter to the police?
Kafamaisho: Yes I did. I reported the case at Kikatsi police station in Kiruhura district. It was filed as No: SD 09/11/06/21. But still the police did not help. I also approached Mr. Muhindo, the RDC Kiruhura district. He too did not help. He instead braggingly told me to tell President Museveni to help me since I had thought of the President’s assistance. Even the Kiruhura district LC 5 chairperson did not assist me in spite of receiving a directive from President Museveni to assist me remove the invaders, the Kanyamunyu cattle from my ranch. Although President Museveni has promised to help, I live in fear. My life is in danger. These people may kill me or my children if President Museveni does not rescue me from this dangerous situation.