UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | According to the Judiciary, there is a backlog of approximately USh3 trillion worth of land cases that have yet to be addressed.
While addressing journalists at the Media Centre in Kampala last Thursday, October 20, Judiciary Public Relations Officer Jameson Karemani said, “The money that would be boosting the nation’s economy is held in 10,210 pending land cases in the land division.”
Karemani added, “There are cases where someone bought land and can’t do anything before a case over the land is solved. One’s money is held there.”
Mr Karemani blamed the large case backlog on a shortage of judges to hear land cases, stating that the land division now has nine judges and three registrars but would need at least fifteen (each) soon.
“We just feel that when we have that number, we are able to deal with land matters in time,” Mr Karemani said.
Lands Minister, Judith Nabakooba criticised the delays in settling land matters, which impede investment and economic growth.
“If the case takes 15-20 years before being determined, then people are going to be desperate because they are looking for help but it can’t be given. We hope that judges come up with a complete resolution,” she said.
The IGAD Land Conflict Conference
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) conference on a land disputes is taking place in Uganda this week from October 24-28, as part of the East African justice week.
The Conference will explore the links between land governance and conflict, and the need for a people-centred approach focused on access to justice and the rule of law, peace, sustainable development, gender equality, and climate action.
Minister Nabakooba says the conference is anticipated to draw around 350 representatives, with President Museveni attending as guest of honour on the conference’s first day.
According to Nabakooba, the conference “will enable high-level policymakers exchange country and cross-country policy experience and lessons learnt to establish a regional agenda and national policy priorities that comprehensively respond to land conflicts.”
“By coming as people at policy level, we shall be in position to brainstorm and come up with concrete resolutions that can help us,” Ms Nabakooba said.
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