Mukono Land Staff Arrested Over Negligence As Nabakooba Launches Fight Against Land Fraud

 The Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba ordered the arrest of Ms Hanifah Nantongo, a staff at the Mukono Ministry Zonal Office as she launched a crackdown on fraudsters and corrupt officials in the lands ministry.

Ms Nantongo, a customer care officer was detained at Mukono Central Police Station over neglect of duty after she allegedly lost a client's title she received last year.

The title that belonged to Mr Patrick Peter Kirunda was handed to Nantongo on April 3, 2023, to remove a mortgage. "We have seen the highest level of negligence because if somebody handed over a title to our officers, they expect it to be kept well," Nabakooba said on October 25, during the launch of an online Land Public Portal in greater Mukono.

Highlighting how the portal will resolve encumbrances, the minister noted that all land offices across the country should act as places of safety to enable all clients to keep their records without any alterations. "Somebody came and gave a testimony of how he handed over his title and it got lost in the hands of my officers.

They have to explain to the police how this happened," she added. After handing over his original title to the officer, Mr Kirunda was given 21 days to return for his issue to be resolved but he demanded the title for the past year in vain. "My home is in Namutumba and I had to pay transport and hotel fees if I am to come to Mukono, which was costly," he told the minister, adding that the same officer had directed him to apply for a special title which is very expensive.

 The minister said that to her dismay, the accused person could not give a convincing explanation for the accusations, portraying a high level of laxity. "Ensure that you have places where you can secure such documents to avoid embarrassments like we have encountered today." In addition to the arrest, the minister directed Nantongo to foot all the expenses of getting a special title for the complainant.

"On top of neglect of duty, you cannot ask the owner again to put in more money to pay for your recklessness," Nabakooba shared. The online public portal launched on October 25 in greater Mukono, was first unveiled from Wakiso District to ease access to land information remotely.

This portal will work along with the existing land information system. Ms Nabakooba said the portal has already shown the potential to reduce land conflicts since all land transactions are tracked in the comfort of your home or office. Mukono Lands Principal Administrative Secretary Doreen Tushabe shared that with the new invention, they can make 2499 land transactions in three days.

"Fraud has significantly reduced because the Land Information System has enabled networking with other government agencies such as the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and National Information Registration Authority (NIRA).” Before the portal, Ms Tushabe told the minister that they were having trouble verifying documents such as court orders and letters of administration presented by the clients.

 “Fraud has been alarming because of the overwhelming number of imposters, posing as Ministry of Lands officials and soliciting money from people," she explained. Mr Paul Ssemwogerere, a resident of Mukono, accused the Lands officers at the zonal office of demanding money from him for every service he sought from their office.

S,e,"On one occasion Nantongo wanted to charge me Shs300,000 before giving me my land title," he said, commending the online portal for being timely. Mr Hassan Kasibante, Mukono Deputy Resident District Commissioner, said at least 70 percent of his residents are bibanja holders, calling for community sensitization about their land rights.