In This Article

  • Community Outcry Over Land Dispute
  • A Widow's Struggle
  • Legal Standoff
  • Tensions and Calls for Intervention

Key Takeaways

  • Wagagai Flower Farm faces community backlash over an unresolved land dispute involving a senior citizen's property.
  • 72-year-old widow Kajoiner Zainabu claims she was not compensated for her late husband's land, which was allegedly taken by the flower farm during expansion.
  • Protesters clashed with company representatives, removing fencing around a football field, while local elders allege the company intentionally excluded the couple from compensation.
  • The widow has sought justice through official channels but has been unsuccessful, with ownership documents reportedly ignored.
  • Wagagai's HR manager declined comment, citing ongoing court proceedings, as tensions between the community and the company remain high.

Bufulu-Kasenyi, Katabi Town Council – Tensions flared Friday as residents clashed with representatives of Wagagai Flower Farm Limited over a contentious land ownership case involving a senior citizen's property.

Dozens of protesters from Bufulu-Nkumba attempted to dismantle perimeter fencing around a football field, asserting the floral company never compensated 72-year-old widow Kajoiner Zainabu for land allegedly belonging to her late husband, Ssenyonga Fred. Community elders maintain the deceased had occupied the two-acre plot since the 1970s.

A Widow's Struggle

According to eyewitness accounts, Ssenyonga was undergoing medical treatment in his ancestral village when Wagagai compensated seven neighboring landowners during expansion efforts. The ailing man reportedly died soon after, leaving his widow to discover their property enclosed by barbed wire upon her return.

"I had no choice but to build this shelter," Kajoiner stated, gesturing to her makeshift home – a fragile structure of wooden poles, thatch, and fabric remnants standing defiantly at the field's center. Local elder Lubowa Steven alleges company officials knowingly excluded the couple from compensation due to Ssenyonga's hospitalization.

Legal Standoff

The protest reflects growing community frustration with delayed resolutions. Tinda Jackson, who claims to have guarded the property during Ssenyonga's absence, says ownership documents exist but haven't been recognized. Area LC official Kasule Abdul confirmed the widow's persistent but unsuccessful efforts to seek justice through official channels.

Wagagai's Human Resources Manager Balondemu Joseph declined substantive comment, citing ongoing court proceedings. "We await judicial guidance," he stated when pressed by reporters.

As tensions simmer, Kajoiner has appealed directly to President Yoweri Museveni and humanitarian organizations, alleging intimidation tactics by unnamed parties. Community leaders urge swift intervention to prevent further escalation in this complex territorial conflict.

Tags:

#Uganda #Land Dispute #Human Rights #corporate accountability #community protest