Special Report

Displaced by Oil: The Story of Over 1000 Residents Forced Out by Exploration in Hoima District – Part II

Following a successful survey, which confirmed that 37 families of the pastoral communities resided on the disputed land, the RDC instructed the claimants to pursue legal recourse and obtain an eviction order against those they alleged were unlawfully occupying their land. However, encountering obstacles with this approach, the claimants adopted a different strategy targeting key community leaders, levying multiple fabricated charges against them, and orchestrating their imprisonment.

This scheme began to materialise when individuals such as Kataza Samuel, Mulega Eria, Karongo Stephen, Rangila Steven, Karongo Edward, Mbombo Steven, Kayongo David, Rubyogo David, Kansiime Benon, Kamurinde Steven, Muntu, Kamugisha Enock, Muvunyi John, Nyakahigi Fred, Muhozi Moses, and Badila were summoned by the police on various charges, of which they had no prior knowledge. Between the 18th and 25th of January 2023, upon reporting to the police, the mentioned community leaders were promptly charged with multiple fabricated offenses, including cattle theft, malicious property damage, and violent threats.

They were swiftly taken to court and remanded to prison. Similarly, those who attempted to report to the police were pursued, charged, and remanded. Only those who paid the claimants were released, contingent upon signing an agreement relinquishing all claims to the land and recognising Gafayo William Ndahura and Aston Muhwezi as rightful owners. Those who managed to evade capture were forced into hiding.

With key community leaders either imprisoned or in hiding, the opportune moment arrived for action. Between the 10th and 18th of February 2023, residents of the Seven Villages bore witness to a tragedy that left the community reeling in disbelief, despair, and trauma.

On the 10th of February 2023, the remaining inhabitants of the seven villages were abruptly awakened in the early hours by tear gas, rubber bullets, and the sight of their homes engulfed in flames. Amidst the chaos, they heard the distressing cries of suffocating children, women, and domestic animals, while witnessing rampaging gangs comprised of both armed soldiers and civilians.

In that moment, it became clear to them that Brigadier Nabaasa Peter Nankunda, alongside Gafayo William Ndawula, commanded these gangs, with assistance from Kyakashari Michael (Deputy RDC Hoima), Bogere Patrick (DPC Hoima), and nine others. This marked the culmination of their worst fears and the violent seizure of their land.

They descended upon the seven villages with brutal force, demolishing homes, setting houses ablaze, and ruthlessly destroying crops and livestock. Cows and cattle were slaughtered and feasted upon, while the remaining livestock were loaded onto trucks and taken away.

During this invasion, women and girls were specifically targeted and subjected to gang rape, horrifying the rest of the community who could only watch helplessly. Numerous egregious human rights violations were perpetrated against the innocent residents, including torture and inhumane treatment.

For several days, this pattern of violence repeated across the seven villages. By the 18th of February 2023, what was once a vibrant community teeming with life had been reduced to a desolate, charred landscape of abandoned homes, guarded only by soldiers. The residents were left with no choice but to flee, seeking refuge in public spaces, forests, or seeking shelter with relatives in neighboring districts.

End

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