State House pushes for public hearing to settle land disputes
The State House probe team listens to Ms Cate Nankanja (right), who is accused of land-related fraud in Luweero District, on Wednesday. PHOTO / DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- Many of the conflicts are linked to suspected fraud and connivance between land grabbers and some unscrupulous government officials.
The State House Land Directorate has recommended public hearings to resolve the overwhelming land conflicts in Luweero District.
Many of the conflicts are linked to suspected fraud and connivance between land grabbers and some unscrupulous government officials.
A team from the directorate that has been in Greater Luweero for three weeks to help resolve some of the disputes on the instruction of President Museveni discovered numerous cases of suspected fraud.
For instance, more than 600 households are at risk of losing their land titles following fraudulent actions by an alleged landlord at Bubuubi Village reportedly aided by individuals within the Police Land Protection unit.
“We are dealing with particular land- related conflicts that have been orchestrated by fraudsters taking advantage of the unsuspecting public to take their land that they have occupied rightfully as bonafide bibanja holders. The case of Bubuubi Village, where more than 600 households are at risk of eviction, must be resolved at a public hearing,” Ms Mariam Namayanja, the senior private secretary on land matters in State House, said on Wednesday.
“While the State House team has successfully helped more than 200 residents settle their land disputes, the cases where particular government departments are mentioned have to be given special attention,” she added.
Ms Namayanja said they will work with the Registrar of Titles in the Ministry of Lands to schedule a public hearing possibly next month.
In the Bubuubi dispute, Ms Namayanja said the purported landlord has no land title and defrauded more than 70 people claiming to process their titles at the Bukalasa Lands offices in Luweero.
“This landlord went ahead to place a caveat on the one square mile land that is not her property. At the public hearing where we have requested the commissioner land title registration to attend, some of the issues will get resolved and possibly advise on the way forward,” Ms Namayanja said.
Mr Richard Bwabye, the resident district commissioner, said the hearing will give victims of land evictions an opportunity to tell truth.
On Tuesday, the State House land team arrested three people, including a 68-year-old woman for allegedly fleecing more than 70 people of their money at Bubuubi Village after promising to process for them land titles.
“We have forwarded this matter to the police for investigation. It is unfortunate that the racket includes police officers. We shall ensure that the officers mentioned are prosecuted,” Mr Bwabye said.
