By KT Reporter
Members of the Benet community in Kween, Kapchorwa, and Bukwo districts are demanding a direct meeting with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, citing decades of neglect, unfulfilled pledges, and failure by local leaders to relay their grievances on permanent resettlement.
The Benet, also known as the Ndorobo or Mosopisyiek, are an indigenous minority who were displaced following the 1993 gazettement of Mt. Elgon National Park. Although President Museveni issued a directive in 2011 to resettle them on 6,000 hectares of land, the community says implementation has stalled, leaving them in precarious conditions.
Speaking to Uganda Radio Network, several community leaders accused area politicians, technocrats, and government institutions of misrepresenting or deliberately withholding their concerns from the President.
Monica Chebet Matayo, a youth leader, said the Benet have made numerous efforts through petitions and public forums, but with no tangible response.
“We feel that the only solution now is to meet the President physically and understand whether he is receiving the correct and timely information about our suffering,” Matayo said.
The community also alleges that land earmarked for resettlement has been leased to individuals outside the originally displaced households, describing the move as a betrayal of government commitments.
Joseph Ndege, an elder, expressed concern over persistent tensions with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), accusing the agency of harassment and land-related conflicts.
“Despite our loyalty and active participation in government programs, including supporting President Museveni in past elections, we have not seen any lasting solution. If this continues, the Benet may be forced to withhold their vote in future elections,” Ndege warned.
He further noted that residents are often denied access to the forest, including medicinal herbs—a vital source of treatment in areas lacking health facilities.
Tyson Mzee, another community member, recalled that President Museveni once asked who was responsible for the failed resettlement program, a question that remains unanswered.
“Our leaders are only interested in protecting their names, not addressing the real issues affecting the 37 clans of the Benet. Denying us a chance to meet the President is a clear sign of marginalization and exclusion from government service delivery,” Mzee said.
David Chemutai, coordinator of the Mosopisyiek/Benet community, said their plight has been raised at various platforms, including district councils and parliamentary committees, but implementation has remained elusive.
“We have submitted several petitions, some were acknowledged but nothing happens on the ground. It feels like the state is conspiring to lease our land to outsiders who were never part of this community,” Chemutai said.
He also raised concern about the community’s lack of official recognition. Chemutai explained that during the recent National Census, the Benet were allocated a sub-tribe code (582), but it was missing in the system. He urged Parliament to urgently pass a recognition framework to give the community formal identity.
The Benet’s history of displacement dates back to 1983, when government allocated them land in Yatui Valley. However, the gazettement of Mt. Elgon as a national park in 1993 rendered them landless again, sparking recurring clashes with UWA over land rights and access.
Despite the 2011 presidential directive for their permanent resettlement, community members say little progress has been made—further deepening mistrust and frustration. They are now calling for direct engagement with President Museveni to end what they describe as a cycle of miscommunication, political neglect, and broken promises.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
