The 100 resettlement houses bring to 235 the total number of Resettlement houses constructed by TotalEnergies in exchange for land being taken over for oil infrastructure.
The initiative to be implemented by the Lands, Housing and Urban Development ministry and funded by the World Bank will benefit residents in the sub-counties of Kizirafumbi, Bugambe, Buhimba, Kyangwali, Kabwoya and Kikuube town.
At least 700 residents in Mpigi district have petitioned Parliament claiming UNRA has not adequately compensated them for the 60km Kampala - Mityana road constructed between 2008 and 2012.
Christopher Ssanyu, the Principal Assistant Secretary at Bukalasa Lands Zonal Office, explained that while the thugs managed to steal four computers and some land files, they were unable to breach the strong room where land titles are securely stored.
Andrew Nyumba, the acting permanent secretary for the Ministry of Lands says this is part of government efforts to rectify and regularise the land ownership to stop the mischief of having dual ownership of land that was created by the colonial government.
Peter Banura, the Kikuube LCV Chairperson in an interview with URN explains that says soon a ministry of lands team will be in the district to sensitise leaders and residents on how the issuance of the titles will be conducted.
Area residents say that they have been demanding a land title for the 11,475 acres of land they are occupying, protection from wild animals that escape from the Queen Elizabeth National Park and rehabilitation of their major roads since 1994 in vain.
Todate the Money is still lying idle at district accounts as local leaders and officials struggle to acquire land titles as a prerequisite to construct the government facilities.
Phillip Mukasa, the Nakasongola District Police Commander, says that some of the wrangles have turned chaotic forcing him to deploy officers to stop clashes.
According to Bishop Ssemogerere, many people have been donating land to the Church over the years, which has enabled it to construct Churches, schools and health centers among others. He says that unfortunately, most of the people who donated land to the Church over 80 years ago have already died.
The minister who is currently in Bunyoro on a working visit says that he has established that several officials in the various land boards are fueling land grabbing, through the issuance of land titles to the rich at the expense of the poor.
Harriet Businge, the Hoima Woman MP, says that most of the land grabbers are highly connected to the government and have gone ahead to brand genuine land owners in the region as rebels in order to capture the support of security agencies in their evil deeds.
According to Beti Kamya, the Ministry has received more complaints about the services from Luwero and Wakiso. The complaints include lifting caveats without the knowledge of affected parties, delayed issuance of land titles, issuing multiple titles on the same land and corruption among others.
Addressing voters in Kasese on Sunday, Kabuleta blamed most of the land conflicts in the region, which often result in deaths on the government’s failure to legalize land ownership.
Baryomunsi who met a few leaders and locals from the sub-county said the government was aware of the tensions in the community and has been working to ensure that it's controlled. “There issue of land titles should not be a concern anymore because we are handling it and soon you will receive them.” He said.
Once passed into law, the bill will provide for the creation and perfection of security interest, provide for rules for determining priority of claims among competing claimants, provide for registration of security interest in movable property by notices and others.
Records indicate that only 40 percent of the 91 public schools in Gomba have land titles while all the 19 Health Centres dont have any documentation of ownership of the land they occupy. The schools with titles are owned and managed by religious institutions.
Otafiire, while serving as Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry allegedly initiated the idea of granting a letter of no objection to Birus Properties, a company owned by Simpson Birungi, the Proprietor of Movit Products.
The Commission of Inquiry into land matters resumes today, two weeks after it called off public hearings due to lack of funds. The Commissions Lead Counsel Ebert Byenkya says in a statement that they have made progress regarding obtaining the resources the Commission requires to do its work.
In his 2016 Auditor General Report, the Auditor General, John Muwanga notes that Sembabule district doesnt have titles for all Sub county headquarters, health centers, bore holes, Valley tanks and buildings. According to the Auditor General, the absence of titles for land hosting key public assets exposes them to grabbing.
