Kabaka calls for speedy delivery of land justice
Kabaka Mutebi during the inauguration of the kingdom’s 31st Lukiiko (parliament) at Bulange, Mengo, yesterday. PHOTO/ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
By October last year, the land division had a backlog of more than 10,000 land cases.
Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II yesterday condemned the delays by courts of law in dispensing justice to victims of land evictions and appealed to the Judiciary to expedite the process.
Kabaka Mutebi made the remarks yesterday while inaugurating the kingdom’s 31st Lukiiko (parliament) at Bulange, Mengo.
He revealed that his kingdom continues to receive news of people being evicted from their land.
“We still hear of complaints of a number of people being evicted from their land in various parts of the country, and when they seek redress in courts of law, hearing of land cases takes a very long time,” Kabaka Mutebi said.
“We urge the judges to always make rulings on these cases on time,” he added.
There are unresolved land issues and rampant evictions of bibanja holders (squatters), especially in the central region.
In October last year, the Judiciary Public Relations Officer, Mr Jamson Karemani, revealed that the Land Division had a backlog of more than 10,000 land cases, with at least Shs3 trillion being held in the pending matter.
When contacted yesterday, Ms Sarah Lang Siu, the Judiciary Chief Registrar, without giving the latest land cases backlog, confirmed the delays in dealing with the issue, which she attributed to understaffing, among other factors.
“If we are to rank our case backlogs, land has the highest cases and these are due to a number of causes, such as the high case load on the available judges and the complexities of executing land cases,” she said.
“But we have recruited a number of magistrates and judges, meaning that for now, we shall have the capacity to handle these backlogs by increasing the number of court sessions and prioritising land matters,” she added.
This month, the Judiciary recruited more than 80 magistrates.
Call on agriculture
Kabaka Mutebi also urged the central government to prioritise the teaching of agriculture in schools in order to equip children with the necessary knowledge about farming.
During the Lukiiko session, 24 newly appointed leaders, who included four kingdom ministers, county chiefs and their deputies, were presented before the Kabaka as they confirmed their readiness to serve the king and the kingdom.
The Kabaka urged the new leaders to ensure quality service delivery.
“We urge you to be good examples who are loyal and determined to serve without betrayal,” he said.
