The National Resistance Army (NRA) war veterans in Hoima District have sought the intervention of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs pertaining to the land conflict in Bulindi Town Council, Hoima District.
The Chairman Hoima District Civilian War Veterans, Mr Joseph Isiimbwa Karugaba Apuuli, says the veterans accuse the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and residents of Bulindi of allegedly grabbing and encroaching on the veterans’ six square mile-piece of land.
He says the land in dispute was given to the veterans by the Queen of England though some area politicians purportedly claim that it belongs to the local community there.
The Hoima Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Emmy Kateera Turyabagyenyi, says before, he was misinformed that the land did not belong to the veterans but later realised that they were the proprietors.
He says the government is committed to solving the dispute by opening the boundaries of the land for which the NFA claims to have a title.
However, the RDC discloses that there are some politicians working to fail the exercise.
Mr Turyabagyenyi adds that government provided the veterans with Shs34m that they used to plant 100 acres of maize on the same piece of land for food security and they have already established a maize mill to add value to their output, enhance production and eke out a living.
This land dispute has coerced the veterans to seek the intervention of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs that saw Ms Huda Abason Oleru, the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs in charge of Veterans, to come to the ground.
Following her visit to the locus, the minister says it has been resolved that the NFA opens and clearly shows its boundaries so that the matter can be handled justly.
Ms Oleru reveals that government plans to support veterans subscribing to the 22 registered SACCOs in 22 districts with seeds, herbicides and fertilisers.
These will be used in growing soya bean, maize and sorghum to help the veterans relatively eradicate poverty amongst themselves.
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