By KT Reporter
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has commenced a verification process of over 3000 people who were evicted from the Mpokya forest reserve.
The 3,730 members are seeking compensation for their property that was destroyed during the eviction process. The three-day exercise started on Friday at the Kabarole district headquarters in Kitumba, Fort Portal City.
In 1992, over 31,000 people were evicted from Mpokya Forest Reserve in the then Kabarole district and relocated to different parts of the country. The evictees later sued the government, protesting the manner in which they were evicted and demanding compensation.
The High Court delivered judgment in the complainants’ favour in 1999 and ordered the government to pay them compensation benefits totalling 13 billion shillings with a 6% interest rate per annum.
Daniel Mayombo, the principal Legal Officer at the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, says that during the verification exercise, they will be helped by other Internal Security Organisation (ISO), National Identification Registration Authority (NIRA) and officials from the office of the Attorney General. “During this verification, we will require them to present their national identity cards or introductory letters from the LC I chairperson to confirm if they are the right people to be compensated.” He added.
Manyombo noted that the people to be compensated are the ones named under the High Court Civil Suit 102 of 2009.
Richard Twijukye, the leader of the group, says that this group was part of the initial group led by Benon Turyamureba but missed out on compensation resulting from the 1999 High Court judgment.
Subsequently, they sued the government in 2009, and in 2013, the High Court ordered the government to compensate this particular group with 6 million shillings per person.
However, since then they have never received this compensation and are now asking the government to quicken the verification exercise so that they can get their money.
78-year-old Glades Tibanaku asked the government to quicken the process of compensating them because she has suffered for the past 30 years without a permanent place to live.
Viodita Kabakama narrated that since the eviction, she has gone through tough times, losing her husband, being chased from relatives’ home where she went to seek refuge and having no land for cultivation.
Richard Rwabuhing, the Chairperson of Kabarole District, asked the government to include the evictees who were not initially registered to be registered now, so that they also benefit from the compensation.
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