UGANDA, Mbarara | Real Muloodi News | The Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, has urged the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the issuance of irregular land titles by officials in her ministry.
This request follows a petition from concerned residents in Mbarara regarding a special freehold land title granted to the late Veronica Munyanshunju’s family, covering 114.6 hectares in Bukiro Town Council.
The special certificate of title has far-reaching implications for 213 families residing in Kakondo I and II, Mirambi, and Nyakayojo villages in Bukiro Town Council, Mbarara District.
Moses Ayebare, the Chairperson of the affected residents, raised concerns about the title’s impact on residents who haven’t obtained titles for their land. He urged the minister to establish a mechanism for obtaining free land titles.
During her recent visit to Mbarara, Nabakooba stressed the need for an investigation into the responsible official and suggested prosecuting them for irregularities.
She expressed worry that such actions could undermine trust in the ministry. In response, she ordered the cancellation of the freehold land title and the removal of caveats from affected titles.
Additionally, she tasked the Anti-Corruption Unit with investigating individuals exploiting the Road Compensation Fund through fraudulent claims on non-existent land adjacent to road projects.
The minister highlighted suspicions that these individuals collaborated with ministry officials to create land plots or obtain titles for compensation claims.
Senior Registrar of Titles at the Mbarara land zonal office, Sam Tayebwa, revealed that their investigation uncovered numerous errors in the land title certificate, leading to its cancellation.
District Chairperson Didas Tabaro criticised former leaders, including Chief Administrative Officer Edward Kasagara, for their involvement in irregularities and suspected ulterior motives related to land.
Kasagara, in response, denied the accusations, asserting that during his tenure, land irregularities were uncovered, investigated, and officials were prosecuted.
Minister Nabakooba’s swift action aims to address the concerns of Mbarara residents and maintain the integrity of land title issuance, emphasising the importance of transparency and accountability in the process.
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