More than 300 households and roughly 200 business operators in Kamwenge Town Council face displacement as the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) prepares to reclaim its land and reserves starting October 26, 2026. The affected population also includes institutions such as Kamwenge Railway Primary School and several churches. Kamwenge Town Clerk Wilber Mucunguzi confirmed the town council had received official communication from URC regarding the planned exercise, with residents having been warned against settling on railway land back in 2022.
The occupants have lived on the railway reserve for decades, particularly since the railway's operations were suspended in 1998. The railway line originally opened in 1956 to transport goods, including copper from the Kilembe Copper Mines. Once operations ceased, parts of the railway reserve became occupied by residents and business operators who established homes and commercial premises along the corridor. Mucunguzi said many residents had failed to heed the earlier warning and now needed to prepare for the reclamation exercise.
The planned evictions have sparked significant concern among those facing displacement. Residents dependent on the area for shelter and traders whose livelihoods depend on their businesses fear that finding alternative accommodation and commercial premises at short notice will prove difficult. Kamwenge Town Council Speaker Richard Mugisha acknowledged this struggle, noting that some people had occupied the land for more than 40 years and could struggle to secure alternative housing. He urged the government to consider the circumstances of these long-term residents and explore ways of helping those who may face hardship during relocation.
Mugisha said the exercise formed part of a nationwide effort by URC to recover encroached railway land, though he called for government intervention to balance the recovery of public infrastructure with the welfare of families and businesses facing displacement. For traders, the planned eviction threatens to disrupt established businesses, cut off sources of income and force them to seek new premises where they will have to rebuild their customer base. With the October 26 deadline approaching, affected residents remain under pressure to identify alternative places to live and conduct business.
This eviction will significantly disrupt livelihoods and business operations for hundreds of Kamwenge residents and traders while creating pressure on the local property and rental markets as displaced people seek alternative housing and commercial premises.