By KT Reporter
The Uganda Land Commission has begun sensitising the civil servants and other leaders about the need to protect government land from encroachment and land grabbers.
The campaign, being conducted in phases, has started in sixteen (16) cities and municipalities of Jinja, Kampala, Mbarara, Mbale, Gulu, Arua, Soroti, Lira, Tororo Municipality, Mubende Municipality, Fortportal, Hoima City, Kasese Municipality, Masindi, Entebbe, and Masaka.
Christine Amongine Apuru, the commissioner at Uganda Land Commission, said that they are ready to recover all the government lands that have been encroached.
She said once they get the history of government land, they shall cancel the leases and titles of encroachers who are currently squatters on government land.
They are beginning with the sixteen districts, and the program will continue across the country. She urged citizens to desist from grabbing government land.
Ronnie Bahungule, the senior lands officer in the Uganda Land Commission, told a meeting at Tororo Municipality Council Chambers that they have noticed that some investors and individuals have taken advantage of the lack of inventory to fraudulently take government lands.
The Uganda Land Commission is engaging both the Cities and Municipalities Land boards to check their land records and historical documents of government lands, starting from the colonial period up to date, for accuracy and transparency.
He said after obtaining the records, all the leases and titles that were fraudulently allocated to encroachers will be revoked to pave the way for fresh surveys.
Sabano Samali Epiat, the secretary Tororo district land board, said that there are several investors and individuals who have encroached on government lands where institutions like schools, health facilities, and local government headquarters are affected.
She cited examples of Magodes primary school, Nyangole Leprosy Land, part of Tororo General Hospital land, Tororo Municipality Park Yard land, and UCI primary school land that was encroached by Tororo Cement, among others.
Epiat appealed to the Uganda Land Commission to desist from leasing land without the consent of the local government authority.
Peter Ekikiina, the president of Tororo Municipal Development Forum- MDF, said that they have over 2000 acres of government land in the Municipality that has been encroached by individuals who sold to investors.
Ekikiina said 1,920 acres of land belonged to the government that squatters illegally sold to the investors, part of 4.8 acres of Municipal land at Mile 3 was encroached among others.
He appealed to the Uganda Land Commission to investigate and apprehend individuals who conspired to sell the government to the investors and then cancel the illegally made land title and lease.
Okoth Kitoug, the Tororo Municipality town clerk, said that the issue of grabbing government land is very critical and requested the RDC’s office to help them in the effort to liberate the government land.
Orono Nyapidi, the mayor of Tororo Municipality, said that they have tried to handle some land cases with individuals who encroached on government lands, but the matter is overwhelming.
Nyapidi said they have a challenge that the Uganda Land Commission issues land leases and titles to investors and individuals without involving the districts or the local government officials.
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