Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister, Judith Nabakooba, has intervened in on-going land disputes in Mubende that has caused fist fights and threatens the tenure of hundreds of residents of Tojjo, Lubona ward, Kasambya Town Council.
The dispute involves two family members James Jumba and Kawuki Wasswa who are both claiming ownership of Plot 1 Block 319 Bwekula private mailo land measuring 259 hectares (640 acres) which is a sq.mile.
In order to protected the affected people from possible illegal evictions Minister Nabakooba has called for a public hearing that will be presided over by her lands ministry to iron out differences and find a solution to the problem .
“I have learnt that the people involved in this land dispute are family members. I advise those who are present today to sit down as a family and try to resolve whatever differences you have before a public hearing,” she advised.
This disputed land, according to a statement issued by Moses Buwembo, the Kasambya Town Council mayor who also doubles as the area’s local council chairperson, was earlier put under the administration of Wasswa upon the death of Mr Katula, the father of Wasswa and Jumba.
It is alleged that Jumba together with a one Paul Mafumu, a known land grabber in Mubende, fraudulently acquired letters of administration under cause No. 30 of 2015 and applied for issuance of a special land title in the names of Mufumu, despite the land administrator being alive.
The land, Buwembo said, was subdivided into different plots of land in 2018 and titles given out to people he alleges have never showed up in the area.
The other land dispute the minister directed on involved the subdivision of Plot 2 Block 319 in Buwekula located in Tojjo, Lubona ward, Kasambya Town Council.
It is alleged that the Mubende District Planning Committee of Mubende concealed information regarding the location of the land, illegally inspected it and approved the plot for subdivision.
The Minister directed that all activities on this land be indefinitely suspended until investigations on the matter are concluded.
“The law is very clear, especially when it comes to the landlord and tenant relationship. It provides many avenues through which conflicts can be resolved. Right now, all activities on this disputed land will be indefinitely suspended until investigations are carried out ,” she said.
Nabakooba added: “I am going to write to the Land Police Investigation Unit to have this matter investigated so that we get to its logical conclusion. Those found in wrong will be brought to book as the law dictates.”
Ramathan Muyombo, a resident in Kasambya, said he does not know the people claiming to be landlords of the subdivided land much as he has lived there for more than two decades.
“I became a resident of Lubona in 2000. I was told recently that the land I reside on has a landlord I have never seen. The land was subdivided by people unknown to us,” he complained before the Minister .
The area local council chairperson, Joseph Sseruwuge said there have been efforts to help people in the area get land titles but challenges still exist, most especially coming from unknown land grabbers.
The minister also visited Kigando Sub-County where there was an ongoing land registration for residents. She urged residents in the area to actively participate in the exercise and encouraged them to productively use the land by embracing government ‘s PDM program.
“I am really glad that the people of Kigando are moving closer to getting their land titles. I urge all those in the area who have not registered to participate actively. This is the time you use to cross check the facts regarding your land. ”
