The government has revived plans to allocate land in Mukono District to Senegalese American singer Akon, stirring unrest among residents in Mpunge Sub-county. The affected area covers eight villages, including Buleebi, Sango, Mbazi, Kyazi, Lulagwe, Muvo, Kiziru, and Kamwanyi, whose inhabitants insist the land belongs to them.
In 2022, the government secured 1 square mile of land in Mukono for Akon to construct a $6 billion futuristic city. This allocation initially sparked protests among locals, and the project appeared to have stalled. However, a recent document from the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) notifying residents of an impending boundary opening has reignited tensions.
Residents, led by their village chairpersons, convened meetings to protest the ULC’s actions, vowing to resist any illegal surveys of their land. Margret Nabbanja, a resident of Buleebi, expressed fears that the allocation would affect her livelihood and ancestral burial sites.
Local leaders, including Sam Kyege, chairperson of Lulagwe village, criticized the government for not consulting the residents and called on President Museveni to investigate the matter thoroughly. Mpunge Sub-county chairperson Frida Namyalo decried what she termed as “broad daylight thuggery” by brokers claiming the land for Akon.
Mukono Resident District Commissioner Fatuma Ndisaba Nabittaka confirmed that the President had allocated the land to Akon. She advised residents to present title deeds or land agreements for compensation but cautioned against violence, urging them to allow the survey process to proceed.
Uganda Land Commission acting secretary Andrew Nyumba stated that the survey was necessary to verify whether the land is occupied.
