EVICTED FOREST DWELLERS TO BE RESETTLED

By David Mafabi

Kapchorwa- A report has recommended for the resettlement of landless Mt Elgon forest dwellers who lost 6,000 acres of land to chiefs and civil servants in Kapchorwa District in 1983.

The inter-ministerial technical report presented to local leaders in Kapchorwa on Tuesday stated that although the land was set aside from Mt Elgon Forest Reserve by government to resettle the Ndorobo [evicted forest dwellers], civil servants and district leaders who were in charge of distributing it then grabbed it.

While presenting the report, the director of conservation at Uganda Wildlife Authority, Mr John Wekomba, said the body would not give out any more land because the Mt Elgon eco-system has become dysfunctional.

Appeal
The Minister in charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister, Prof Tarsis Kabwegyere, asked the people who got land illegally to confess their sins and return it to the evicted people in Kapchorwa, Kween and Bukwo districts.

“We are looking for about 502 hectares to resettle the landless in Sebei sub-region. We cannot tamper with Mt Elgon National Park anymore. I am calling upon the people who grabbed land meant for the landless to confess so that they are not condemned,” Prof Kabwegyere said.

He advised people living around Mt Elgon to protect its fragile ecosystems.
Although chiefs and civil servants wanted fresh investigations, Prof Kabwegyere appointed a committee led by RDCs and LC5 bosses in the three districts to start the allocation. 
CREDIT SOURCE: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Evicted-dwellers-to-be-resettled/-/688334/2527978/-/5i5yfo/-/index.html