"Eight defenders in Kiryandongo released on bail"

A magistrate court in Kiryandongo district has released the eight (8) land rights defenders on bail, after spending 30 days on remand at Masindi prison. Mwawula Fred, Ndahimana Ramu, Kusiima Samuel, Martin Munyansia, Martin Haweka, Wafula Amos, and Talemwa Eliot and Rwakabisha George were charged with threatening violence on September, 16th, 2020 before being remanded to prison. The charge carries four-year imprisonment on conviction.

The prosecution alleges that on September, 4th 2020 the eight and others at large while at Kisalanda, threatened to harm a police officer and workers of Great Season SMC limited. Great Season SMC Limited, owned by a Sudanese businessman based in Dubai together is one of the multinational companies illegally evicting over 35000 people off the 10,000 Ha in Kiryandongo district for several agribusiness investments. Other Multinationals include; Agilis Partners Limited owned by US businessmen and backed by several foreign development agencies and “social impact” investors and Kiryandongo Sugar Limited owned by a Mauritius-based RAI family.