Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has assured residents in Kagadi districts that no bibanja landholders will be evicted by agents of absentee landlords. Minister Nabakooba’s assurances follow growing tension about residents of Kagadi who are threatened by evictions orchestrated by unscrupulous people claiming to be landlords.
Nabakooba was presiding over the Women’s Day celebrations in Kagadi District held at Mabaale playground in Mabaale Town Council Kagadi District under the theme ‘Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality’. “The government has established systematic land demarcation and has compensated all landlords to ensure that Ugandans can settle on land permanently.”
The minister said her ministry is working hard to ensure that all bibanja holders in Kagadi are supported to acquire full ownership of their land by getting land titles.
“Over 1,600 land titles will be handed over to the locals in the coming month of May” Nabakooba told the gathering amid jubilations.
Ms Janepher Kyomuhendo Mbabazi, the Kagadi Woman Member of Parliament explained to the minister that for some time, they (local leaders) have been making several attempts to end the eviction threats in the district .
She asked the minister to expedite the process of issuing land titles so that people can work for prosperity without fear of being evicted.
Kagadi District Deputy RDC, Benjamin Tumusiime reported hat his office has four court orders asking them to evict people. He asked the minister to swiftly intervene and save the people who are at the verge of losing their land.
Nabakooba however asked the office of the RDC not to implement the land eviction court orders saying that the president has put a ban on evictions and that no one should be evicted from their land.
The Minister highlighted the barriers affecting women, especially in the struggle to create wealth. She said women have been barred by cultures to engage in gainful employment to fight poverty and in some cases denied the right to own land which is a big factor of production .
She condemned land fragmentation and urged families to work together, engage in modern agriculture and share profits. “Embrace the four-acre model and the intensive farming as guided by President Yoweri Museveni.
This model works well even when one has a small piece of land especially those in urban settings. It is closely linked to urban farming and the Parish Development Model,” she said.
Ms Florence Kugonza, the chairperson Women Council, Kagadi District said that they have been facing several challenges including lack of transport to mobilize women to engage in wealth creation programmes.
She called upon the government to think about facilitating the women councils so that they can effectively serve the nation.
Minister Nabakooba also paid a courtesy visit to African Rural University, an all-women’s university in Rural Transformation. She met with Dr Mwalimu Mushehse, the University’s founder and Vice Chancellor.
Dr Mwalimu explained how women have reasons to celebrate the day because they have for long been marginalized and their being somewhere now has been greatly spearheaded by the NRM government.
