Kalangala Island, situated in Uganda, is home to 97 villages scattered across 17 parishes and six sub-counties. In the midst of this serene landscape, a peculiar situation has arisen in Kachanga, a village in Mazinga Sub County, Kalangala District. The village’s status has been a subject of contention for the past two years, with local authorities and residents at odds over its legitimacy.
Background
Christine Nakabuye, a resident of Kachanga landing site, was among those who celebrated two years ago when word spread that the area had achieved independent village status. However, the legitimacy of this claim is now being disputed by district councilors from Mazinga Sub County, who assert that Kachanga remains part of Mawaala Village.
The Councilors’ Perspective
Led by Gerald Kalyango, a councilor representing Mazinga Sub-County, these councilors express their astonishment at discovering that Kachanga, located on Funve Island, boasts an executive committee and an official stamp.
Kalyango explained that in 2009, during his tenure as the chairperson for Mawaala Village, a five-member committee was established to manage administrative activities at Kachanga landing site. Their primary role was to assist residents in negotiations with landlord Godfrey Mbaziira to formalize their tenancy, not to create an independent village called Kachanga.
The councilors’ protest escalated after a local resident, Alex Mpala, acquired an official stamp for Kachanga and began using it without authorization from Mawaala LC, to which Kachanga supposedly belongs.
The Residents’ Perspective
In contrast, residents like Castrol Mugaru, who has resided in Kachanga since 2014, argue that the village’s leadership has undergone changes since 2016. According to them, the leadership transition included the election of Asuman Sentongo in 2018 and his subsequent replacement with Alex Mpala in 2021.
Mugaru pointed out that while previous leaders operated under the name “Mawaala – Kachanga Village,” today, they possess their own stamp. According to Mpala, Kachanga obtained village status during the 2021 general elections and received an official stamp from the district headquarters in March 2023.
The Landlord’s Perspective
Godfrey Mbaziira, the landlord for the area housing Kachanga landing site, initiated the idea of creating the village after residents expressed concerns about missing out on government programmes. While the village has not yet undergone official elections conducted by the electoral commission and lacks a polling station, interim leadership was elected under the collaboration of Mbaziira and Mawaala LC.
Mbaziira expressed his intention to push for the village’s formal recognition as they prepare for village chairperson elections.
District and RDC’s Stance
Kalangala District chairperson Rajab Semakula emphasized that Kachanga Village is not yet officially recognized by the government, despite plans to separate it from Mawaala Village. He believes that, in time, Kachanga may achieve independent village status.
Kalangala Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Eva Kwesiga cautioned Mpala against misleading the residents of Kachanga landing site by presenting himself as their leader. She recommended that, if the residents wish to be independent, they should write to the Chief Administration Officer (CAO) and follow the appropriate processes.
