The Minister of Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, has ordered the reopening of disputed government land hosting Rushebeya Market in Rukiga District, directing residents and traders to resume using the contested property.
The land, located at Rushebeya Trading Centre in Rwamucucu Sub-county, was fenced off in April 2026 by former Rukiga District Woman MP Caroline Kamusiime Muhwezi and her husband, Andrew Muhwezi, according to residents.
Rushebeya Market traditionally operates twice a month. However, the fencing of part of the land reportedly restricted public access, sparking concerns among traders and landlords operating on the property.
Barugahara issued the directive on Thursday during his ongoing nationwide anti-corruption campaign, which began with a visit to the disputed land at Rushebeya Trading Centre.
During the visit, residents told the minister that Kamusiime and her husband had allegedly threatened to shoot anyone who attempted to access the fenced-off land.
Julius Arineitwe, one of the affected landlords, accused his tenant, Barbra Tukamuhabwa, of failing to pay Shs2 million in rent after allegedly being instructed by the former legislator and her husband not to pay.
Arineitwe said he constructed his lockup in 1993 and had since been renting it out to earn an income. He claimed Tukamuhabwa stopped paying rent after the land was fenced off, allegedly citing instructions from Kamusiime and her husband.
Barugahara ordered Tukamuhabwa’s arrest and directed that she be handed over to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit over allegations of colluding with individuals accused of taking over public land and frustrating the landlord.
Tukamuhabwa was subsequently arrested and taken to Rukiga Police Station.
CUE IN MINISTER BALAAM…ON MARKET….RR//
Rukiga Resident District Commissioner Zadock Kamusiime said a security meeting was convened shortly after the land was fenced off to discuss the dispute and alleged non-compliance with a presidential directive concerning the compulsory acquisition of the property.
Kamusiime said the government was expected to compensate the affected parties, but the land was supposed to remain under government control for use as a public market and for other public functions.
Barugahara directed residents and traders to resume using the land as the government works with the Chief Government Valuer to establish the compensation payable to Kamusiime and her husband.
He said the couple should seek legal redress against President Yoweri Museveni if they were dissatisfied with the presidential directive, instead of preventing members of the public from accessing the property.
CUE IN KAMUSIIME AND BALAAM…ON THE DIRECTIVES….RR…//
Neither Kamusiime nor her husband was present at the disputed site or Rukiga District headquarters to respond to the allegations during the minister’s visit.
The disputed property, which hosts Rushebeya Market, is located along the Kabale–Kisiizi Road in Rukiga District.
The dispute over the land dates back several years. On November 8, 2017, unidentified individuals reportedly began surveying the market land. Shortly afterwards, inmates from Ndorwa Government Prison were deployed to demarcate and fence off the property.
Local residents reportedly intervened and attempted to lynch the inmates, prompting their evacuation.
The dispute is also linked to a court case involving Rwamucucu Sub-county and David Gakyaro. In 2015, Gakyaro sued sub-county leaders, accusing them of cutting down his trees without authorisation.
The Kabale High Court subsequently ordered the sub-county to pay him Shs11 million in damages. However, the local government reportedly paid only Shs6 million.
Gakyaro later returned to court, which issued an order allowing him to attach the market land after the then sub-county chief, Justus Ampeire, and LCIII chairperson Justus Tushabomwe reportedly failed to appear in court to testify.
In April 2026, individuals led by Kamusiime and her husband, reportedly under security protection, fenced off another portion of the land, which has remained inaccessible to the public since then.
The minister’s latest directive seeks to restore public access to the market as the government works to resolve the dispute and establish the compensation payable to the affected parties.
