A 105-year-old woman from Namutumba district has taken a stand against the officials of the Busoga kingdom, who sought to designate her rock site as a tourist attraction without her consent.
Eunike Kiire, a resident of Bugobi Town Council, vehemently opposed the planned launch of her rock site at Lugulu village, Bugobi rural sub-county, scheduled for June 15. She asserted that the cultural leaders responsible for identifying tourist sites never approached or consulted her regarding the matter, leaving her blindsided by the developments.
According to Kiire, the rock site, spanning approximately two acres, serves as the primary source of income for her family. Engaged in farming and stone quarrying, they rely on the land’s resources to sustain themselves. Given its significance to their livelihood, Kiire adamantly refused to relinquish control over her property and called for intervention to safeguard her land rights.
Expressing solidarity with Kiire, her relatives echoed her concerns and vowed to resist the launch of the site as a tourist attraction until their terms and conditions were addressed. Michael Lulume, one of Kiire’s grandchildren, accused Chief Yolorimu Nabongo, who identified the site, of neglecting to engage them in the decision-making process, alleging collusion with non-landowners.
Samuel Makaka, the area LC1 chairperson, corroborated Kiire’s ownership claim, affirming that she had possessed the land for over five decades. He decried the organisers’ actions as tantamount to land grabbing and called for urgent intervention from stakeholders and political leaders to protect the family’s interests.
In response to the family’s complaints, Charles Mwanja reported the issue to the office of the resident district commissioner, Thomas Matende, who directed Chief Nabongo to suspend further preparations until a resolution was reached. Despite the directive, Chief Nabongo failed to comply, prompting Matende to reiterate the need for dialogue and consensus-building.
Acknowledging the outcry, Chief Nabongo pledged to withdraw from the site, recognizing the validity of the family’s grievances. Similarly, the Busoga kingdom tourism minister, Helen Namutamba, affirmed their commitment to respecting landowners’ rights and excluded the contested site from the upcoming launch.
