UGANDA, Jinja | Real Muloodi News | The Jinja City Mayor, Peter Kasolo, has issued a five-day ultimatum against the Jinja District local government to vacate their current office and relocate to where their jurisdiction is applicable.
This is after an increase in many cases of fraud and the illegal sale of public land.
The city mayor says that he is fed up with the unending land grabbing cases facilitated by the district officials.
He adds that Jinja District’s administrative unit is affecting the intended smooth execution of the city’s agenda for development. He accused some members in the district system of deliberately misusing their powers, which has also deterred some line officials from serving the interests of the people in the city.
Mayor Kasolo made the comments while addressing members of the public on Saturday August 13, who converged at the city hall over the increasing cases of illegal land purchases and transactions. He also emphasised that although the city is an independent administrative unit, some officials at the district headquarters facilitate land grabbing. They later sell that land to innocent developers.
The city mayor disclosed that his office has recorded over 20 cases regarding public land allocation to developers through the Jinja District Land Board. Unfortunately, the board does not have the power to do so.
He added that the district officials have further cleared developers who want to acquire freehold land titles within the city centre, yet it’s unlawful according to the Land Act provision on land ownership.
The Jinja District LC5, Moses Batwala, responded that they are planning to vacate their offices currently located within the city, per the ministerial directive encouraging them to hand over all their city property to the city authorities. However, the offices which they are to relocate are still under construction.
Meanwhile, Batwala distanced himself from claims that Jinja district officials are deliberately frustrating the operability of the city, and challenged Kasolo to opt for dialogue rather than exerting force to raise his dissatisfaction against fellow leaders. Batwala argues that the city and district administrative units are interdependent on each other, and need to work together.
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