Through the Ministry of Lands, the government had finally handed over certificate of land titles to about 5,000 residents of Bunyangabu district.
In 2009 and 2022, the government bought land from the renowned Tooro Kingdom Queen Mother Best Kemigisha. The land was on bloc 44 plot 2 in Kibito Town Council and bloc 32 plot 1 in Nyakigumba. The two blocks measure about 5. 2 square miles.
3,500 tittles have dully been processed while 1,500 were still waiting the beneficiaries to meet all the requirements including presenting valid ID’s and payment of stamp duty.
The titles were handed over to the benefactors by the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who represented president Yoweri Museveni at a function held at Kibito Play ground on Saturday.
President Museveni asked the beneficiaries to avoid land fragmentation and focus more on sharing what comes out of the land as a single unit, in his message.
The president noted that the program to settle all Bona Fide Occupants through the land fund is meant to stop land evictions but also help land owners to boost production.
Will delivering her message, the prime minister asked land owners to use their titles as security to boast their household incomes.
Minister of Lands Judith Nabakoba said that government is also discussing with other land lords in the district and across the country to reach an agreement so that all bona fide occupants can get titles.
Mrs. Nabakoba noted that 92 of the titles given out in Bunyangabu were for government institutions.
Andrew Nyumba, the acting secretary for the Ministry of Lands part of government efforts to rectify and regularise the land ownership to stop the mischief of having dual ownership of land that was created by the colonial government.
Peace Mutuzo, the Bunyangabu district woman member of parliament who is also the state minister for Gender, said the insecurity on land has for long hindered the development of the area because people were always fearing to be evicted.
Mutuzo, however appealed to government to also process the titles of Burongo and Bwenjojo.
Selivestri Nyakairu from Kabonero Sub County who together with 34 other community members has been spearheading the demand for titles, says he is relieved after spending more than 25 years pursing their titles.
Whereas he has done some developments on the land, he noted that he has been in fear of being evicted by the landlord.
Jeska Tanah, from Kabonero Sub County told URN that she and the family will now focus on how they can effectively use their land to boost their incomes.
Because she didn’t have a title, the widow noted that it has been difficult to acquire loans form most financial institutions.