Relief For Wakiso Village As Nabakooba Directs On An Expired Lease

 Residents of Kaasangombe Village in Wakiso District can now smile after Lands minister, Judith Nabakooba, intervened in their land issue and directed on an expired leasehold.

 On October 29, the affected homes interfaced with the minister during a baraza held at the Busiro ministry zonal office in Wakiso District.

 They lamented their challenges, which started in 2020 after a businessman, Stephen Wobweni, approached the village chairperson claiming ownership of 19 acres of their land.

Ms Nabakooba searched the land located on Block 266/267, Plot 121 in Busiro County and discovered that the said lease had expired. “The law is very clear, if the lease expires, the occupants have a right to apply and get a title. Let no one intimidate you, the land now belongs to the current occupants,” she said.

The directives came after Ms Proscovia Nakato, one of the affected residents of Kaasangombe, reported to the minister that the suspected land grabber on September 10, 2024, reportedly hired police and army officers and forcefully conducted boundary opening on the land.

The men in uniform reportedly harassed and brutally beat up a group of demonstrating residents who tried to protest the exercise. “We were beaten. Women were undressed in front of their children as they conducted boundary opening,” she said.

According to Mr Twaibu Kafuuma, the chairperson of Kaasangombe, in December 2020, Wobweni approached him claiming ownership of the land and wanted to be allowed to do boundary opening. However, the chairperson thought it wise to alert the residents who later turned wild fighting for their land, arguing that the land belonged to Buganda Kingdom and they were paying nominal ground rent and had acquired certificates of occupancy.

 “We suspect that this man [Wobweni] connived with Buganda Land Board to take our land because two different people came claiming they were from BLB and wanted residents to allow the land grabber do boundary opening,” he said.

Mr Kafuuma recalls the first person identified as Richard Kateregga who came claiming to be from BLB, followed by the second surveyor, Dan Nsereko, who was also turned away by angry locals after failing to produce their working identity cards. After all efforts emerged futile, Wobweni dragged the families to court but the court ruled the case in their favour.

 Efforts to get a comment to Mr Wobweni went futile as he did not show up at the baraza to respond to the questions, nor could he pick up our repeated calls. Ms Nabakooba based from this baraza to assure the general public that the National Resistance Movement is committed to helping all tenants acquire full ownership of their land through the Land Fund.

 “One of the government’s commitments in the NRM manifesto is to assist tenants register their occupancy rights and where possible, use the land fund to upgrade their occupancy rights to land ownership rights through acquisition of land titles,” she told Wakiso residents.

 At the same event, Nabakooba also sensitised the public about the online land information system portal that fosters land search services, noting that government generates Shs300 billion from land transactions.

The minister also urged the public to ensure they use their land productively, to elevate their living standards and fend for their families.

 “Use your land so that you join the money economy. Embrace government programs and acquire money to develop your land.”