Buikwe residents demand RDC's removal

Residents from different villages in Buikwe stormed the district headquarters protesting the alleged dubious dealings of Resident District Commissioner Hawa Ndege Namugenyi.

Residents spent a day at the district headquarters carrying placards with various protest messages such as, “We are tired of the corrupt RDC”, “We need new reasonable RDC”.

They accused the RDC of soliciting money ranging from Shs2 to Shs3 million to address their concerns.

The angry residents said Ms Namugenyi always collects money through his deputy and sometimes secretaries.

Ms Brenda Babirye, from Kiyindi in Najja Subcounty, claimed that the RDC recently refused to listen to their land concern until they paid Shs2 million.

“She insisted that I should pay to intervene in the wrangle which had targeted my land," she said.

"Even when I raised the Shs2 million, she sent me back for an additional and I had to borrow to save my land.”

Babirye claimed that all officials from RDC’s office demand their stake, including the secretary to print out a letter for Shs15,000.

Stephen Sebanakitta, another resident of Busabaga cell in Lugazi Municipality, claimed that he was asked to pay Shs10 million to resolve his land matters.

“Through her aides, Hajjat Hawa asked me for Shs10 million so that I could fully gain possession of the land I had purchased in Busabaga village,” he said.

The demonstration came at the time when the family of Alexander Kiwombojjo was counting losses after a group of land dealers sprayed their sugarcane plantation with dangerous chemicals allegedly on orders of the RDC.

When we reached the RDC on the phone, she denied the accusations, saying the demonstration was politically fueled by some leaders in the district.

Recently, the RDC was confronted by the Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President, Ms Diana Nankunda Mutasingwa, who stormed a scene at which she was conducting an illegal eviction of a resident at Naava Cell in Njeru Municipality.

At the time, she had mobilised a team of security personnel comprising army and police officers before escorting a group of self-claimed bailiffs to demolish the house of Simon Herbert Alideki without a court order and a district security committee endorsement.