Tame land conflict

There is need for government to stop the growing racket of land grabbers, most of them wealthy individuals.

President Museveni a fortnight ago, ordered an end to the worrying trend of land disputes across the country.

Hardly a day passes without authorities registering a land-related case in this country and the media is awash with land dispute stories.
Although the President indicates in his letter to media houses that the land law has been clear ever since 1928, in connection to the relationship between land owners and tenants, the reality on the ground seems to indicate otherwise.

Increasing cases of land conflict and arguments being put forward by the land owners and the community show that Ugandans are not well versed with the land laws and the few who know it choose to selectively apply it to their advantage.

There is need for government to stop the growing racket of land grabbers, most of them wealthy individuals.

The latest worrying trend is when several people have a copy of the same title giving ownership of the same piece of land to each of them. This has in many cases led to disputes that have ended in death. There is need for the land registry department to speed up the process of computerising the process of acquiring a title as one way of avoiding duplication of titles. The Uganda Land Board should also embark on a verification exercise of the titles issued so far.

Also there is need to review and refine the legal framework on compensation of bonafide tenants.

The government needs to not only educate the masses about the existing land laws and their rights but also translate the existing legislations to land in various languages and distribute for free as a measure to curb the ever growing dispute.

Areas with customary land tenure system seem to register the highest number of disputes in recent months and yet there is inadequate legislation on customary and Mailo land ownership tenure. Parliament needs to revisit the law on Mailo and customary land to create a win-win situation between, an investor, and government and land owners.
Also there is need to review and refine the legal framework on compensation of bonafide tenants.
In the face of increasing pulse for development across the country and hence creating a greater thirst for land, government must tame the land disputes.