The Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister hon Judith Nabakooba has put an end to eviction threats from land brokers who fraudulently acquired land that houses a mosque and families of locals in Mityana District.
The land in contention measures 360 acres and sits on Ssingo Block 55 plots 32, 108, 109, 110 and 111 at Katiiti village, Kagere Kamu parish, Ssekanyonyi Sub County in Mityana District.
“I have halted all activities by the said brokers who have been selling off people’s land. I have also directed that all titles on this land be cancelled and the land goes back to the names of the initial landlord,” she said.
According to the locals, the land belonged to the late Ibrahim Kibikiriwo but on June 24, 2018, the family convened a meeting where they appointed four children of the deceased as new administrators of the land.
The children are; Ronald Mukiibi, Wilberforce Kiwagu, Rehema Namakula, and Umar Ssemakula, residents of Kasiikombe, Katiiti, Kagerekamu, Ssekanyonyi Sub County in Mityana and Kisenyi village, Kakiri Town Council in Wakiso District respectively.
Residents claim that these administrators connived with brokers and started tormenting squatters on their land.
Land broker Ahimbisibwe has 10 acres on plot 108 whereas Rose Kyahura’s land sits on plot 9. Other titles include 20 acres titled land on plot 110 in the names of Lawrence SSekiwunga and plot 108 which encroaches on Mosque land. All these titles were carved off from the mother titles of the late Ibrahim Kibikiriwo.
“I have directed my legal officer to use one week and collect all relevant documents on this land from the said landlords and all squatters on this land. This will help guide us in our decision of cancelling these titles,” Ms Nabakooba added.
In the same vein, the minister also instructed Mr Abraham Luwalira, the presidential coordinator on bibanja and land matters to ensure all the affected persons submit their documents.
“Ensure no person is left behind. Let those brokers who claim to have bought land also produce the documents and titles from which they acquired that land.”
The Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) Aloysius Bazanya told the minister that some of the brokers bought the land without reaching on the ground to find out from bibanja holders.
He said they connived with the administrators and signed off documents from somewhere, imposing fear on locals who have stayed on the land for more than 50 years.
“If they claim they bought, let them produce documents with the village chairperson stamp. They came as brokers, took the land and got transfers into their names,” he noted.
After acquiring the land which already had squatters, they promised bibanja holders that they would give them titles after sharing their plots as per some of the signed agreements but they didn’t fulfill their promises.
Mr William Wakabi, a member of Ssekanyonyi Area Land Committee, said the reported land grabbers allegedly pose as officials from Office of the President and hoodwink locals that they would solve conflicts on their land, with intentions of touring the land.
“They even asked some squatters to pay some money for the processing of land titles. Locals paid money ranging from Shs800,000 and Shs2.5m,” he stated.
Others were forced to cut off pieces of their land in exchange for land titles. Some with five acres gave out two to the administrations but surprisingly, they sold the land before fulfilling their promises of giving locals titles.
“The administrators would promise that they are going to give us titles. After making an agreement, they sell the land and disappear without producing a title.”
Before the minister’s directives, Mr Swaibu Ssekamwa, the chairperson of Katiiti village, was worried that they would lose their community mosque after part of the land where it sits was reportedly taken and sold off by the administrators.
He noted that even after paying some money amounting to Shs2.3 million to get a title, the administrators went ahead to sell their land.
