UGANDA, Jinja | Real Muloodi News | On Friday 17th February 2023, the government handed over the title of a 4.2-acre land to the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) along Mvule Crescent, South Division, Jinja City.
The land was donated to the Muslim community in the Busoga sub-region through a decree by then-president Idi Amin, following the expulsion of Indians from Uganda in the early 1970s.
A board of trustees under their umbrella Jinja Muslim club-JMC was managing the property.
However, following the expiry of the lease in 2014, they applied for a land title without involving the property owners from UMSC, which sparked misunderstandings between JMC and UMSC, with both parties claiming ownership of the land.
While handing over the title to the Mufti of Uganda, His eminence, Shaban Mubaje, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister, Lukia Nakadama told members of the Muslim community to strive for unity.
She says that unity will enable them to safeguard their property from encroachers.
Nakadama notes that the Muslim community in Busoga exhibited unity while defending their rights over the contested land, which eased the work of responsible government agencies to issue a land title to UMSC.
Mubaje challenged Busoga Muslim region leaders to spearhead the process of developing the land by setting up a mosque, school, and modern shops, which will generate income to sustain Muslim clerical activities in the area.
Members of JMC declined to comment on the matter when contacted.
The Busoga Muslim regional Khadhi, Sheikh Hussein Bowa says that they are still battling land grabbers at three major properties owned by UMSC. These include Lubas market, Moslem Cemetery, and land in Walukuba, all in Jinja City.
The contested land’s handover was a relief to the Muslim community as the property was under dispute, which could have affected future developments.
The UMSC can now take full control of the land and implement development plans, including a mosque, school, and modern shops, generating revenue to sustain their clerical activities in the area.
The handover of the title to UMSC is part of the government’s efforts to resolve land disputes in the country. These disputes have been a significant problem in Uganda, especially among indigenous communities who have lost their ancestral lands to government officials, multinational companies, or wealthy individuals.
As a result, many land disputes in Uganda have taken years to resolve, often leaving the victims without land or adequate compensation.
The government’s handover of the contested land title in Jinja City to UMSC is a significant milestone towards resolving land disputes in the country. It marks a step in the right direction towards protecting the rights of indigenous communities and ensuring that they have access to their land.
UMSC can now proceed to implement its development plans, generating revenue to sustain its clerical activities in the area.
The challenge now is for the government to resolve the other land disputes, including the Lubas market, Moslem Cemetery, and land in Walukuba.
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