Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has warned landlords not to grab government’s unoccupied land and selling it to unsuspecting members of the public .
The Minister also explained what government is doing to secure the land rights of thousands of Ugandans through the Land Fund. Nabakooba said that the Land Fund aims at ensuring security of tenure, and through it, the government has been able to give out land titles to different people across the country .
“Government buys land for people and those who are selling land to the government should be genuine with clear documentation,” she said ,adding that landlords should not use the fund to dupe the government.
The fund is a multi-purpose resource envelope envisaged to serve targeted beneficiaries, including tenants seeking to buy or own land, a government seeking to buy land for redistribution to bonafide occupants or resettlement of the landless, among others.
Hundreds turned up as lands minister Judith Nabakooba intervened to protect wanaichi’s land rights
Nabakooba was in Mityana to help resolve disputes over land matters.
The minister visited Kalungu-Bala, Banda Town Council and Butayunja Town Council, all in Mityana District where the residents had raised numerous complaints relating to land .
In her first meeting at Kalungu-Banda, the LC1 Chairman explained to her how he was called to the mayor’s office to sign and stamp on a document he did not know. “I declined because the people were not involved in the process. Surveyors have come here multiple times and people are living in fear,” he said.
According to the mayor, Mr Seruwagi the letter they received was showing how the landlord had expressed interest to sell his land to the government and wanted surveying to be done.
He explained that there are many people who want to collect obusuulu from people and sought for the Minister’s intervention and guidance .
“Government should expedite the process of issuing letters of administration when land owners pass on. This will help resolve ownership wrangles that confuse the tenants.”
The land in contention is in Busujju Block 129 plots 14, 15 & 43 Land at Banda Town Council with roughly 348 acres. The land is registred on three mailo land titles in the names of Abesiima Leticia.
Nabakooba disrected that the matter should be resolved in a transparent and just manner .
“Open boundaries with the landlord in place. I want a report on this issue in two weeks. Those who bought where they are staying should be given their land titles,”
At Butayunja Sub County by the LCV Chairman Mr Livingstone Lwanyaga and the residents expressed disappointment at the long tedious surveying process of their bibanja -that has been going on for quite some time now .
The property in contention is located at Busujju Block 80 plot 40 & 45 land at Butayunja. It is occupied by over 600 households with its titles registered in the names of Lubinga Semindi.
The RDC not only gave Semindi permission to conduct a boundary opening exercise to be able to share the land amongst the beneficiaries but also sensitized the occupants on the exercise.
However, the occupants allege that the beneficiaries instead acted otherwise and partitioned the land against their will, dictating on the portions to be given to occupants without negotiations- hence the petition to the minister.
Mr Semindi, the landlord told the minister that they contracted Julius Muwanguzi to handle their land issues since people wanted to get their land titles hence the need for the surveying.
“All activities on this land should be stopped with immediate effect as we cross check the records in the titling process. The status quo should be maintained and a commissioner’s caveat should be placed on this land immediately,” Nabakooba directed as the residents cheered on.
She gave the fact finding process two months and warned Mr Muwanguzi on forcefully surveying of people’s land.
