UGANDA, Mbarara | Real Muloodi News | The Government of Uganda has released 1,500 freehold certificates of title to beneficiaries in the Greater Ankole Region, to safeguard their land rights from grabbers.
The Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, handed over the Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification (SLAAC) freehold titles at the Mbarara Ministry Zonal Office in Kamukuzi, Mbarara City on August 20th.
She appealed to the residents in Greater Ankole to guard their certificates of title zealously, and protect themselves from land grabbers.
The Mayor of Mbarara City North Division, Gumisiriza Kyabwisho disclosed that the selected beneficiaries are residents of Nyabuhama and Rwenjeru of Biharwe Division in Mbarara City, others in Mbarara City South Division while others from the districts of Rwampara, Ibanda and Kiruhura which surround Mbarara.
The full list of beneficiaries sent to the district officials reveal that 801 certificates of title will be handed over to those in Mbarara City, 209 to those in Rwampara District, and 490 were for land owners in Kiruhura and Ibanda districts.
The beneficiaries of the SLAAC project had already paid their land requisition fees and indeed, the Lands Minister fulfilled her promise of delivering the land titles to the owners.
Hon. Nabakooba said that one of the commitments of the National Resistance Movement, NRM manifesto was to help people get land titles to protect their land.
“If land owners are left without government support, it would be hard for people to process their titles since it is an expensive process. Use your titles to develop yourselves. Do not sell your land or give the titles out as security to obtain loans from money lenders, you will be duped and your land will be eventually grabbed from you,” she warned the beneficiaries.
The Member of Parliament for Mbarara City North Division, Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari, said that applicants are happy to have their certificates of title and are now sure their land is secure from land grabbing.
He then appealed to the government to ensure the speedy processing of the certificates of title for land owners in the second phase of the project.
Hon. Nabakooba assured the beneficiaries that her ministry will continue to serve them and enable them to carry out productive work.
She further advised them to check on the status of their certificates of title on the National Land Information System and also pay the mandatory UGX 70,000 URA fees to complete the titling process.
About the SLAAC Program
The SLAAC aims at improving security in land tenure by demarcating and issuing certificates of title to the beneficiaries that belong to the selected parishes.
The SLAAC programme is partnering with the Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project, CEDP, which is implemented by the Ministry of Land and supported by the World Bank.
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