Government to protect widows, elderly from land evictions

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has developed guidelines on land evictions that seek to protect vulnerable groups.

This was revealed by the Minister Betty Amongi, while appearing before the Committee on Physical Infrastructure that is scrutinising the ministry’s policy statement for the year 2019/2020.

Amongi said that this is meant to address concerns raised in regard to older persons and persons with disabilities as noted in the certificate of gender and equity compliance for the year 2018/2019.

“The guidelines are before Cabinet and once approved, they will address the increasing land disputes and evictions which affect mostly widows, the elderly, PWDS and the poor,” Amongi said early this week.

The Minister also revealed that the ministry is undertaking a programme that will see the issuance of freehold titles, certificates of customary ownership and communal land associations.

“All these programmes are intended to assist the PWDs, widows, children and the vulnerable in protecting and securing their land rights,” she added.

The Minister added that in all the programmes where government is issuing titles, there is gender equity by men, women, elderly and PWDs.

“Evidence is there to show that all vulnerable persons have benefitted in compliance with section 27 of the Land Act, Cap 227,” Amongi said.

The committee chaired by Hon Kafeero Sekitoleko also heard that the ministry is undertaking public awareness campaigns on land rights to men, women and other vulnerable groups and Ugandans in the Diaspora.