By Spy Uganda
The Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Judith Nabakooba has stopped the eviction of over 2000 bibanja owners in Kabulasoke, Gomba district.
The bibanja owners are occupying five villages including Kabulasoke A, Kabulasoke B, Bukundugulu, Lubaale and Nkandwa all in Gomba district with over 700 hectares. The occupants are accusing the so-called land owner Sulait Kalungi of conniving with local leaders and forcing them to vacate their bibanja without compensation.
Speaking to the residents during the community meeting which was held by the area Member of Parliament Robinah Rwakojo, Nabakooba said that ignorance and corruption are one of the main issues which have led to the increasing land disputes across the country because the majority of the Ugandans are not aware of land rights.
“In this meeting, we have realized that there is a need for thorough investigation and sensitization of communities because we need to know the original land owners and how it landed to Kalungi because we have got reports that the land belongs to royal family,” she said.
Nabakooba directed the Gomba district, Residential District Commissioner to collect all the documents connected to the land in question so that the land ministry can start investigations to reveal the right land owners and settle the disputes.
“I have halted all the activities which were taking place on that land and everything should remain in status quo because we are starting the investigations very soon and the curviest will be issued immediately by the ministry through the MZO,” she said.
Rwakojo said that there is a need to sensitize the citizens because they are not informed about their rights that’s why they end up losing their properties to imposters who pretend to be land owners.
“It’s now the right time for the lands ministry to start sensitizing the nation about land rights because land grabbers are using that chance to stole people’s property because they are not aware of their rights,” she said.
Responding to the complaints Kalungi said that he bought the land from Dick Lutaaya in 2018 who had a connection with the royal family and he had already started to compensate some bibanja owners who have accepted to vacate the land.
