The State Minister of Lands Sam Mayanja has warned the public that leases and titles issued on Kabaka’s land are not valid because the Buganda Land Board, he says, is an illegal body.
The minister says the 1st August 2013 Memorandum of Understanding between the President and the Kabaka on (return of) has never been operationalised and so Zonal land offices must not issue any titles over the Kabaka land.
Buganda Land Board started the mass issuance of 49-year titles on the Kingdom land bibaja holders (tenants) enable them get security of occupancy against eviction and also a registrable interest so they can even use the land as collateral to get (mortgage) finance from banks subjects to regularize their tenancy and avoid eviction.
Minister Mayanja told public officials in Luwero this week that processing leases on behalf of Buganda Land Board by government zonal offices is illegal and must be stopped henceforth.
He explained that the MoU between President Museveni and Kabaka Mutebi II required the President to set up a team to implement the terms of the agreement, which team the president has never constituted.
Mayanja further dashed any hopes of a quick resolution of the stand off between Mengo and the central government over land by saying the constitution of the team is not the only matter left to make transactions on Kingdom land lawful; but amendment of the Traditional Rulers’ Restitution Act of 1993 to conform to the Constitution and Properties Act must be done by Parliament.
He once again took a swipe at the Buganda Land Board calling it “an illegal entity registered as Buganda Land Board Limited, a private company, a matter they do not see eye to eye with the Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga.
The Katikkiro has strenuously and repeatedly explained that the board is lawfully registered and constituted.
