A group of more than 3000 people from Kibaale district have taken government to the High court seeking compensation of more than 33 billion shillings arising out of damage occasioned to them during the 2001 Local Council Five elections.
The residents from five sub-counties claim they were forced to go into hiding for 3 years after their houses were burnt down, animals stolen and crops destroyed by agencies of government including police, sub-county chiefs and Gombolola internal security members.
They claim that this destruction came in form of a punishment towards them for supporting a one Fred Ruremeera, who won the said election.
Through their lawyer, Henry Ruhaganika, the aggrieved residents say that despite President Yoweri Museveni’s promise of compensation in April 2005, they have never received any monies to that effect.
The complainants yesterday appeared at the High Court for the hearing of their case before Justice Eldad Mwanguhya but the case could not go on because they had to get a valuer and also get a place which can accommodate all the complainants.
The case was adjourned to the July 3rd 2012.
In 2001 Fred Ruremera, an ethnic Mukiga, was elected Kibale district chairman. A group of radical Banyoro protested sparking tribal clashes between native Banyoro and migrant Bakiga in the area. This forced government to prevail over Ruremera to resign his seat and a compromise LC5 chairman George Nyamyaka was elected to the post.
