Minister calls for probe into Buganda land deals, leases

KAMPALA.

Lands minister Betty Amongi has asked Justice Catherine Bamugemereire’s commission to probe the disputed Buganda Kingdom’s mass titling campaign dubbed, “Ekyapa Mu Ngalo” and the people behind illegal evictions in the country.

Ms Amongi made the call yesterday in Kampala as the new commission appointed by the President to investigate irregularities in land transactions opened doors to the public to submit their complaints. The commission invited various stakeholders to hear their views before they embark on the task ahead.

Describing the leasing campaign instigated by Buganda Land Board (BLB), a corporate body mandated by the Kabaka to manage the kingdom land as “a departure” from the mailo land to leasehold land tenure, the minister asked the commission to “think of the original intention of private mailo land.”

Minister’s view
“This campaign of leasing land to Ugandans by the Buganda Kingdom needs to be revisited… there is a total departure from the mailo to leasehold, which provides for conditions involving payments,” Ms Amongi implored the commission.

“We have private and official mailo land held in trust by the Kabaka and that owned privately. Interrogate the official mailo where bibanja owners settle as bonafide occupants are suffering yet the law protects them.”

BLB, however, insists that the campaign is in line with the various laws and legislations and that it represents the Buganda Kingdom legislative organ’s (Lukiiko) resolution of 1994 to offer leases to all interested tenants on the kingdom land.

The minister, who on behalf of government, promised to implement the recommendations of the commission, castigated private mailo land owners, whom she said are “cruel” for dodging ground rent in order to evict bibanja owners from their ancestral land.

She asked the commission to stop the rampant illegal evictions in the country and the problem of land dealers who connive with landlords to evict or compel bibanja owners to share their land with impunity.

Ms Amongi also observed that some landlords have now resorted to selling land titles to powerful people, who swiftly rush to evict people by way of court orders obtained ex parte to the detriment of the poor bibanja holders, especially in central Uganda.
Ms Amongi also revealed that government is currently stuck with development projects due to high payments demanded by landlords who buy off the poor people upon getting information of the intent for infrastructure development.

She also asked the commission to make recommendations to answer the Bunyoro question, which she said was becoming “a delicate matter” in regard to ancestral issues and the accusations against government for failure to address historical injustices in this part of the country.

“The question of surveying land, we have a surveying registration board but the ethics are lacking. In Luzira, we have cancelled 26 land titles where five title deeds were issued in the middle of the lake and their owners were waiting for compensation,” the minister said.

Justice Bamugemereire, however, said the concerns and the expectations will be dealt with in line with the terms of reference as set out in the instrument.

“We have carefully listened and we shall think through them to enable us make recommendations to the appointing authority for action without fear or favour,” she vowed.

Justice Bamugemereire dismissed suspicion of political interference, saying the commission will act independently and that “no special people” will be considered.

Public hearings start on May 9, according to the commission lead counsel, Mr Ebert Byenkya.

The commission

In December 2016, President Museveni appointed a seven-member panel headed by Court of Appeal Judge (Justice Bamugemereire) to inquire into the law, processes and procedures in land acquisition, administration and management in Uganda. The members are Justice Catherine Bamugemereire – Chairperson, Robert Sebunya – Member Mary Odupa Ochan – Member Joyce Habaasa – Member Dr Rose Nakaya – Member Fredrick Ruhindi – Member George Bagonza Tinkasiimire.