The State Minister for Lands, Hon. Sam Mayanja, has directed the registered trustees of Hoima Catholic Diocese and the management of Kigulya Primary School to equally divide the 20-acre piece of land that has been the subject of a 15-year dispute.
The contested land, located in Kigulya Division, Masindi Municipality, is currently home to Kigulya Primary School and St. John’s Kigulya-Kyetegya Catholic Church.
During a field visit on Thursday, Minister Mayanja, accompanied by Youth and Children Affairs Minister Balaam Barugahara, Senior Presidential Assistant Phiona Barungi, RDC Darius Nandinda, and Masindi Mayor Ronald Businge Kyomuhendo, called for a peaceful resolution.
LCIII Chairperson Wilfred Kutegeka explained that the land was donated by the late Kosiya Byenbandwa, with the school established in 1971 and the church following in 1975. Disputes began in 2009 when the church claimed ownership based on alleged court rulings, which the school contested as they were not party to those proceedings.
Church representatives, including Fr. Aloysius Byaruhanga and Michael Anima, insisted that the land belongs to the church, presenting several documents and a high court ruling to support their claim.
However, Minister Mayanja cited constitutional provisions and land laws, stating that in the absence of clear ownership, the land should be divided equally—10 acres each for the church and the school. The government will fund the surveying and titling process, expected to be completed within three months.
Mayanja also intervened in two other land disputes involving Biizi Primary School and Kikwanana Ward, directing arrests of individuals accused of illegal land claims.
“No one will be evicted without thorough scrutiny by the district security committee,” RDC Nandinda assured residents.