When Mugisha Jealousy Mulimba learned that the government of Uganda was taking him to court, he expected justice. But he now believes that the courts are being used to deny him fair hearing rights and the right to adequate compensation for his land and property.
Mulimba revealed to IPS that shortly after the government’s case against him and 41 other landowners in the oil-rich Uganda Albertine region was heard in December 2023, the court ruled that the compensation money should be deposited with the court and that the government could proceed with evicting them to make way for the TotalEnergies oil refinery construction and installation of the EACOP pipes.
He expressed his surprise at how quickly the trial was conducted, especially involving a case where the government sued its citizens. The landowners are now uncertain of when the eviction will take place.
Mulimba and many others are facing the threat of homelessness as they refuse to accept the unjust compensation offered by TotalEnergies on behalf of the government. The fear of forceful eviction has been looming for years, but it now seems imminent as the government is determined to extract the oil by 2025.
One of the affected landowners, Fred Balikenda, expressed his determination to fight for their rights, even if it means risking their lives. The government’s swift actions have raised concerns within the legal community, as land disputes in Uganda tend to linger in the court system for years without resolution.
Human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza criticized the judge’s hasty decision in the case, calling it a violation of legal principles. Kiiza and other lawyers have called on the Uganda Law Society to boycott the judiciary’s activities in protest against the unfair treatment of the landowners.
The landowners have appealed the ruling to the Court of Appeal in hopes of overturning the eviction order and the compensation money being held by the court. However, the court had not scheduled a date for the appeal hearing at the time of filing this report.
Despite their efforts to seek fairness and justice, the landowners feel intimidated by security operatives and are uncertain of their future. It remains unclear how the situation will unfold as they await the decision of the Court of Appeal.
The case highlights the ongoing struggle of landowners in Uganda against unfair compensation and forced evictions in the name of development projects.