By Alex Baluku
The State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Hon. Martin Mugara Bahinduka has directed the people of Busunga village in Lake Katwe sub-county, Kasese district to look for a private surveyor to redirect the boundaries of Busunga Community Land from the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The Minister who was in the district on Wednesday to share with the communities neighboring the Queen Elizabeth National Park said that there was need for the community to use private land surveyors before they involve the Ministry of Lands to carry out the final survey.
Hon. Mugara pledged that he would sit with the Management of Uganda Wildlife Authority to look into the issues related to land disputes between the community and UWA.
While presenting a report Patrick Busingye to the Minister on behalf of the residents, the Chairperson for the Busunga Cattle Keepers said that UWA allegedly grabbed their land worth 803 hectares even when they had processed their leases in 1995.
Wilson Asiimwe, the Nyakatonzi Sub county Chairman, noted that UWA had allegedly evicted 20 families from the land for no clear reasons to the community.
Betty Kyomya Karoku, the District Woman Councilor representing Nyakatonzi Sub County and Kinyamaseke Town Council reported to the Minister that they had spent over 3 years without receiving the 20% of the revenue sharing from the park.
Charles Tumwesigye, the Director Field Operations for UWA asked the community to stay calm and wait for the declaration that shall be pronounced by the Ministry of Lands after carrying out thorough survey.