UGANDA, Jinja | Real Muloodi News | Jinja City in Uganda has been without a land board for two years, resulting in difficulties in processing land titles and resolving land-related disputes.
The Land Act mandates land boards to hold and allocate land in cities, including Jinja.
According to the city’s Deputy Mayor, Ms Fazira Kawuma, the lack of a land board has caused a backlog of requests for land titles and other tasks that are the responsibility of the board.
In addition, it has affected the development of the area as people cannot get land titles, access loans, and buy or sell land.
The absence of a land board has also led to the issuance of fake land titles and increased disputes over public land.
To address this, Jinja City Speaker Mr Bernard Mbayo has called for a sober land board that will fast-track the titling of public land, including public spaces, school and hospital land.
However, Mr Mbayo has also received a letter from the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Mr Ben Kumumanya, asking them to stop discussing the land board issue until further guidance regarding its constitution and composition.
Jinja City Mayor, Mr Peter Kasolo, attempted to second six individuals to the city’s land board last year, but their approval was halted by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) after one of the councillors accused Mr Kasolo of not following the right procedure in presenting the nominees.
Since then, the process of approving the land board members has been halted until the proper procedure is followed.
The absence of a land board has created a significant obstacle to the growth of Jinja City, with the backlog of land title requests and unresolved land disputes.
The city government’s efforts to establish a land board have been met with challenges, including allegations of improper procedure in nominating board members.
In the meantime, residents of Jinja City are left waiting for a resolution that will allow them to get land titles and access loans.
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