MPs to Visit Disputed Land Due for Compensation

Members of Parliament and surveyors from the Ministry of Lands have resolved to visit land that is due for compensation.

The Adhoc committee of parliament led by Kaberamaido County Woman MP Veronica Bichetero is currently investigating compensation concerning land in Ndeeba on which a Church structure was razed last year, and the other in Lusanja, Wakiso district where scores of families had been evicted by one Medard Kiconco.

The Ministry of Lands had sought a supplementary budget of 12 billion Shillings to compensate these and more landowners, landowners, without the knowledge of the Uganda Land Commission.

According to the Ministry, of the 12 billion Shillings, at least 7.65 billion Shillings would go to Ephrain Enterprises in lieu of the Ndeeba land and Medard Kiconco, for the Lusanja land.

The rest would be shared by six other landlords. These include Kosiya Rwabukurukuru who is demanding 6.4 billion Shillings, Stephen Nagenda with 1.6 billion Shillings, Julius Busululwa who is demanding 2.2 billion Shillings, Natalia Namuli who is demanding 1.6 billion, Yisaka Lwakana who was demanding 1.17 billion Shillings and Geoffrey Mugisha who demands 1.5 billion Shillings.

Although Parliament was due to approve the 19.7 billion shillings, the Uganda Land Commission Chairperson-ULC wrote to Parliament objecting to the payment saying the money was not approved by the commission. They also argued that the acreage of the land was exaggerated and that some of the landlords have already been paid.  

The committee will now spend a week beginning in Bunyoro and Ankole before returning to Buganda where they will ascertain the compensation claims. They will also talk with the owners and establish the acreage and history of land and issues of payment among others.

The team will begin with a visit to a piece of land owned by Geoffrey Mugisha in Kibale, who is claiming 1.5 Billion Shillings for compensation.  Uganda Land Commission has already paid him 50 Million Shillings for the land. 

“The committee will then proceed to interact with the claimants in Ankole and then Buganda. We will interact with the local leaders, and the area Members of Parliament to establish the actual information about the size of the land and whether the claims are genuine,” Elijah Okupa a Committee member said.

The committee has so far interacted with two Ministers of lands, Betti Olive Kamya, and State Minister Persis Namuganza, Surveyors and the chairperson of the land commission. They are due to interacting with former lands Minister Betty Amongi and former Land commission chair Baguma Isoke.

Last week, while appearing before the Adhoc committee, the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) chairperson Beatrice Byenkya Nyakaisiki decried gross corruption and irregularities in land compensation in the country. 

She told the committee that such irregularities in the compensation are common, with files looking fine on face value yet they are irregular. Byenkya also faulted the former Minister of Lands Betty Amongi for her role in promoting the irregularities.