Who are the armed men blocking government officers from inspecting Ntawo developments and where are their weapons coming from?

MUKONO - A growing security and physical-planning concern has emerged in Ntawo Ward, Mukono Municipality, where municipal officials say they have been confronted by a group of men locally known as “Bafikini,” some of whom are reportedly armed and have resisted government officials attempting to inspect alleged illegal developments.

The alarm follows a 31 August 2026 field inspection by Mukono Municipal officials and political leaders to assess illegal construction, enforcement challenges and other physical-planning problems in the municipality.

Officials reportedly failed to access parts of the Ntawo area after encountering the group, raising a more serious question beyond physical planning: who are these men, who do they represent, and how are they obtaining the firearms they reportedly carry?

The reported presence of armed individuals interfering with lawful municipal inspections has triggered concern over the safety of enforcement officers and the wider security of residents in the rapidly developing area.

Council sought police intervention

The security concern was not new.

In a letter written in mid-August 2026, Mukono Municipal Council asked Mukono Resident District Commissioner Ms Ndisaba Fatuma to facilitate police support for enforcement operations in Ntawo.

The Council said more than 30 ongoing developments had been identified in areas including Ntawo near Kibbuule's residence, towards Chairman Seluwagi's residence, Ntawo Trading Centre also known as Benghanzi and near Kisagazi.

The Council reported that previous attempts by its technical and enforcement teams to inspect the developments had met strong resistance from people involved in the construction activities, including individuals locally identifying themselves as “Bafikini.”

The requested police presence was intended to protect municipal officers and enable them to inspect developments, serve enforcement notices and halt unauthorized construction where legally required.

Yet, according to the subsequent field inspection report, access to parts of the area remained difficult.

Security threat beyond a land dispute?

The Ntawo controversy is linked to a longstanding dispute involving land interests associated with the Hamu Mukasa family and the Church of Uganda/Uganda Christian University.

But municipal officials say the land dispute is separate from their responsibility to enforce physical-planning and building-control requirements.

The concern now goes beyond ownership.

If armed individuals can reportedly prevent municipal officials from entering an area to perform statutory duties, authorities face a potential law-and-order and public-security problem that requires urgent investigation.

The most pressing questions are whether the reported firearms are legally held, who the men are, who deployed them and whether they are connected to the disputed land or construction activities.

These questions should be answered by the relevant security authorities.

More than 50 buildings reported

The August 31 inspection reported more than 50 emerging structures across a land stretch estimated at over 650 acres, although an earlier municipal letter had cited more than 30 ongoing developments in specific affected locations.

Officials described some of the developments as haphazard and allegedly lacking the necessary planning and building approvals.

The municipality fears that if construction continues unchecked, Ntawo could develop into an unplanned settlement with serious future consequences for roads, drainage, public services, safety and urban management.

The land dispute reportedly makes the situation even more complicated, with previous warnings allegedly issued to occupants against establishing permanent structures on the contested land.

Government action needed

The Ntawo situation now demands more than another planning inspection.

Security authorities need to establish the identity and activities of the group locally known as “Bafikini,” investigate reports of armed men at construction sites and ensure that municipal officers can perform their lawful duties without intimidation.

At the same time, the land dispute must be addressed through the appropriate legal channels, while all construction should be subjected to the required physical-planning and building-control procedures.

The municipality has recommended that a comprehensive report be submitted to higher authorities and that previously issued development permissions in the contested area be reviewed where necessary, subject to the law and any applicable court orders.

Mukono's warning sign

The Ntawo developments may ultimately prove to be more than a physical-planning problem.

They have raised questions about illegal construction, disputed land, enforcement failures and the reported emergence of armed groups capable of obstructing government officers.

For Mukono, the message is urgent: urban development cannot be allowed to outpace government authority and security.

If reports of armed individuals blocking municipal enforcement are confirmed, the matter requires immediate attention from the responsible security agencies before the situation escalates.

The question now is not only who owns the land it is who is controlling what happens on it, and under whose authority.