Residents of Bbale Village in Luweero District are grappling with the shocking news of an 89-year-old woman, Yowanina Nalujja, allegedly beaten to death by her own children over a land sale dispute. The suspects, two of her children accompanied by two grandchildren, are now in police custody facing murder charges.
According to Mr. Sam Twineamazima, the Savannah Region police spokesperson, preliminary investigations suggest that the quartet assaulted Nalujja while demanding money she had received from selling a piece of land. The elderly woman was rushed to a nearby clinic by the suspects and her grandchildren, where she was pronounced dead. The police have since transferred her body to the City Mortuary in Kampala for autopsy.
Mr. Edward Ssenyonga Tamukedde, the Local Council Secretary for Defense at Bbale Village, revealed that the suspects had previously reported the elderly woman for selling land without consulting them. He expressed shock at the tragic incident, describing Nalujja as a calm elderly woman.
"Two of her children, accompanied by two grandchildren, came to our office (LC1) accusing the old woman of conducting a land sale without consulting them. The sad news is that they took the law into their own hands," Tamukedde stated.
According to eyewitnesses, the four suspects allegedly locked Nalujja inside her house before assaulting her to demand the money from the land sale. Ms. Helen Nabakooza, a resident of Bbale Village, revealed that the deceased had faced family challenges when some of her children demanded that she surrender the piece of land due to her advanced age.
Land-related disputes are common in the region, with Mr. Richard Bwabye, the Luweero Resident District Commissioner, stating that they contribute to more than 80 percent of cases reported to his office. These disputes often involve relatives who fail to resolve land wrangles amicably, leading to suspected land grabbing and other illegal land-related transactions.
"We are waiting for a police investigation report," Bwabye said.
The tragic incident has left the community in shock, highlighting the need for effective mechanisms to address land disputes and prevent such violence within families.
Land disputes are widespread in Uganda, affecting 33%2 to 50%3 of landholders, according to Grass Roots Justice Network. In Uganda, land disputes are the most significant form of conflict, with many escalating into violence. Land disputes crop up throughout Uganda, with the greatest number of disputes arising in Northern Uganda Districts, some parts of Hoima and Amuru District where oil was recently been discovered and where the government has given away large tracts of land.
