Story by Kaguta Joel
More than 160 pupils in Kasese District missed school on Monday as they joined their parents in a protest over unresolved land disputes.
The families, numbering over 500 people, have been camping at the Resident District Commissioner’s (RDC) office since Thursday, demanding government intervention.
The affected families claim their land—spread across several areas including Rwehingo, Ibuga, Kimanywagoha-Omuruti, Kyamihogo, Nkoko, Kabukero, Kyabatukura, Butsumba, and Kirembe—was illegally taken from them in 2007 when the government resettled pastoralist communities evicted from Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Grace Biira, one of the protestors, said many of the pupils now camped at the RDC’s office are living in deplorable conditions.
Some were seen playing cards, watching videos on mobile phones, or playing on parked vehicles as their parents engaged with officials.
The protest highlights long-standing tensions between pastoralist and cultivator communities in the region. Kasese RDC, Lt. Joe Walusimbi, acknowledged the urgency of the matter and called for a peaceful resolution.
As the standoff continues, pressure mounts on authorities to resolve the land conflict and ensure children can return to school without fear of displacement or injustice.
