The head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Col. Edith Nakalema has asked the Ministry of Land to nullify the land titles of Mayeko Martin and Odoi Joseph because they were falsely attained.
The two claim that they are owners of Kasawe Land in Mutungo, Nakawa division. The land in question houses over 200 families.
As a way of protecting their alleged land, the occupants/residents ran to the office of Col Nakalema seeking her intervention in the unending land disputes that have been going on for years.
On 12th November 2021, Col Nakalema in company of Minister of State for Internal Affairs Gen. David Muhoozi, visited the land. According to her when they reached the place, they found out that criminality was on the increase and there were lapses by authorities in ensuring law and order. For that matter, Gen. Muhoozi directed her to coordinate with police to fast-track investigations and indeed, some perpetrators were arrested, arraigned before court and they are currently on remand.
In order to settle the land dispute once and for all, she also called for a meeting of all responsible parties. These included officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment , Kampala Capital City Authority and Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).
On 26th November 2021, another meeting was held at the Office of the Prime Minister Conference Hall with various government agencies and the occupants of the land with the view of paving ways for a quick resolution of the disputes. It was agreed that responsible government agencies were going to prepare and present reports concerning the contested land.
The Ministry of Lands was to commission a survey of the disputed land and deliver a report. Ministry of Water and Environment was to give the status report on the land i.e the title positioning in relation to the wetland. The Executive Director of KCCA was to report on the status of the structures on this land for instance whether the approval process of construction of such structures was duly followed.
The Ministry of Lands as well as that of Water and Environment had to tell her and residents the state of interest that Mayeko Martin and Odoi Joseph hold in this land.
All the investigations were done and on Wednesday this week, a report was presented in the Baraza meeting that was held in Mutungo in which Col Nakalema revealed that the two people claiming that they are the owners of the land attained the titles illegally.
“Investigations revealed that the Land Titles of Mayeko Martin and Odoi Joseph were false and should be nullified by the Ministry of Lands on account of NEMA’s confirmation that the land is a gazetted wetland,” Nakalema said.
On the issue of the households occupying the disputed Kasawe land, she asked the Executive Director of the Uganda Bureau Of Statistics to do Census and report back in the next meeting.
“I also request the Police to keep the status quo of the place until the investigations have been completed. And I want to assure you that upon further investigations, another meeting will be organized that will bring together the Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Lands & Local Government, officials from NEMA and KCCA who are in charge of boundaries of the Kasawe Land to resolve the dispute,” she said, adding, “ I also want to assure you, the residents of this place that there will be good security in the area to keep you safe and your properties.”
They are over 200 families sitting on this contested land and they are living in fear of being evicted by the Uganda National Roads Authority without any compensation.
The National Environmental Management Authority says the occupants should not be compensated because they illegally occupied a wetland. Kasawe land disputes have lasted for over 20 years.
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