Minister warns against grabbing church land

NAMUTUMBA. State Minister for Lands Ms Persis Namuganza has asked Estates and Lands Officer Central Busoga Diocese, Reverend Benon Walube, to constitute a special land committee to investigate church land grabbing with a view of finding a solution to the disputes.

Speaking to believers of Christ today (Sunday) at Kibaale church of Uganda, Ms Namuganza warned those who are grabbling church land to stop, saying churches existed before them.

“What we have observed is that Church land is being grabbed by believers (private developers) who come in church and offer huge ill-gotten money and at the end they forge Land titles claiming for the ownership of the land because they want to set up their small industries,’’ she said.

She said there are commercial interests behind land grabbing between churches and believers of Christ.
She added that some churches are facing closure and others demolished because of the non-existence of the committee which can intervene and engage those who claim that the land where churches are situated are theirs.

‘’Am requesting the diocese to put a special committee which will work hand in hand with the Ministry of lands to see that churches get land titles,’’ Ms Namuganza said.

Her call follows several complaints from the Bishop of Central Busoga Diocese, Right Reverend Patrick Wakula, complaining to the Ministry of lands to come up and help the diocese fight those who are grabbing church land.

‘’I have heard enough complaints from the Diocese that some believers (private developers) have started forging land titles claiming for the ownership of church land. The law is clear about Forgery whoever is forging a land title will be prosecuted,’’ Ms Namuganza said.

However she warned church leaders to stop accepting ill-gotten money saying God does not bless the hands that offer money obtained from corrupt means.

"Not every money offered to church as offertory should be blessed. Reverends you need to shun and preach against such offerings because God does not bless the hands which offer to him ill-gotten money" Ms Namuganza said.

However she lamented on the way private developers are encroaching church lands assuring believers that her ministry has plans to issue out free land titles to churches, Mosques and to all government institutions to avoid the culprits.