The National Unity Platform (NUP) party, under the leadership of Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, extended support to victims affected by recent evictions carried out by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) in Lubigi. The operations, which commenced earlier this month, have resulted in numerous individuals being displaced, facing homelessness, and experiencing profound despair.
As part of their outreach efforts, the NUP leadership delivered relief items to affected families in Lubigi. These included essential food supplies and tents to provide temporary shelter. The displaced residents have been enduring harsh conditions, battling mosquito bites in the absence of their demolished homes, razed by excavators during the evictions.
During his visit, Secretary General Rubongoya expressed solidarity with the affected individuals and criticized the government’s handling of the evictions. He highlighted discrepancies in the demolition approach, noting that properties of wealthy entities like Stabex International and Buganda Combuca had not been targeted, raising questions of selective enforcement.
Rubongoya called upon the affected community to unite and challenge NEMA’s actions, which he argued lacked compensation and alternative housing provisions for those forcibly removed from their homes.
“This humiliation can only come to an end if we, the people, collectively say it is enough,” Rubongoya stated in a released statement, underscoring the party’s stance on the issue.
The situation escalated on June 17th when Rt. Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, along with other Members of Parliament, attempted to visit Lubigi to assess the conditions firsthand. The visit was met with a violent response from police and military forces, resulting in clashes with live ammunition and tear gas used to disperse the gathered crowds seeking to hear from their elected representatives.
The evictions have had a profound impact, rendering over 215 households homeless and displacing approximately 1,000 residents from their community in Lubigi. Many affected families assert they legally acquired their land with documentation approved by local council leaders, supported by annual remittances to the Buganda Land Board.
