Minister Sam Mayanja's declaration in favour of UMC has met resistance from both ULC and Jinja city authorities, who are insisting on abiding with the 2022 court ruling favouring ULC, which in turn offered the same to Jinja hospital for construction of a blood bank, interns mess and orthopedic workshop, and other facilities.
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The assistant Mufti of Busoga sub region, Sheikh Hussein Bowa, addressing Muslims.
Muslims in Busoga sub region say that the land between Jinja regional referral hospital and the Muslim cemetery belongs to Uganda Muslim supreme council-UMSC and it is unfair for Uganda Land Commission-ULC to allocate it to any other entity.
While speaking to congregants after the Eid prayers conducted at the contested land on Wednesday, Sheikh Hussein Bowa, the assistant Mufti in Busoga sub region says that, Muslims have been using the contested land as their parking yard while enroute to burry their dead in the cemetery.
Bowa however, says that after expressing interest in expanding the cemetery several individuals expressed interest in the land yet Muslims have been long-term sitting tenants on the same for more than 60 years.
Bowa argues that,after different authorities denying them access on the contested land, they sought redress in court, which declared Uganda Land Commission-ULC as the owners of the land.
He however, notes that their application for allocation of the same was denied until early March, 2024 when the minster of state for lands, Hon. Sam Mayanja declared UMSC as the sole owners of the land.
Bowa notes that Mayanja's declaration has met resistance from both ULC and Jinja city authorities, who are insisting on abiding with the 2022 court judgement favouring ULC, which in turn offered the same to Jinja hospital for construction of a blood bank, interns mess and orthopedic workshop, among other facilities.
Bowa stresses that their teams have kick-started processes of earmarking a development plan for the 4.6 acre piece of land, but Jinja city authorities and ULC alike have declined to second their bids, which has since stagnated the process.
ULC officials have since stopped ongoing developments within the contested land, resorting to invite both UMSC and Jinja hospital authorities for round table talks to hndle the matter harmoniously next week, however, Bowa denied having any communication on the same.
Meanwhile, the Jinja hospital director, Alfred Yayi told journalists last week that construction of a blood bank depends on the availability of the same land, which was surveyed by KOICA officials late last year.
