Kasese residents on Uganda Railway Corporation land demand boundary demarcation
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More than 2,000 residents of Kasese Municipality living on land claimed by the Uganda Railway Corporation want the boundaries marked before demolitions proceed, saying they were never shown where the railway reserve begins.
More than 2,000 residents of Kasese Municipality living on land reportedly belonging to the Uganda Railway Corporation have asked for clear boundary opening before they are evicted, arguing that they cannot tell where the railway reserve starts.
The Uganda Railway Corporation is carrying out a nationwide demolition exercise targeting illegal structures built on its land and evicting occupants. Residents say they were notified to vacate land within at least 30 metres of the railway line but were not shown physical markings on the ground.
"They didn't leave marks to clarify their exact boundaries. Now where shall we start measuring the 30 meters?" said Benjamin Muhindo, chairperson of the affected residents, during a New Vision visit to the area on November 1, 2026. He said the community has little alternative land because Kasese Municipality is hemmed in by the Rwenzori Mountains and Queen Elizabeth national parks, as well as lakes George and Edward and the Kazinga channel.
Rehema Kekitibwa, a mother of five, said she and others bought their plots after sellers assured them the land belonged to the sellers and that railway services would never be revived. Residents have asked the government to let them remain and pay ground rent instead of being evicted.
Retired Maj. John Katusabe Sibendire called for a measured approach to avoid the emotional, physical and financial stress that follows evictions, saying most affected people were either defrauded or unaware that the land belonged to the Uganda Railway Corporation. Moses Kabagambe, chairperson of Local Council 1 for the Railway Cell, appealed for leniency for residents who acquired the land in ignorance.
Kasese Municipality Mayor Chance Kahindo advised residents to move essential belongings to safer places early, saying he had received a letter from the Uganda Railway Corporation stating that everyone on the railway land would be evicted without compromise. He asked councillors to inform the affected communities so they can prepare.