STEVE Paul Jobs, the American business guru and inventor who co founded technology giant Apple Inc once said, “if you want to make everyone happy, don’t be a leader sell ice cream”, which simply means as one party is happy another could be cursing you over a decision you have made as a leader.
The Muslim fraternity in Jinja has started their month-long fasting period known as Ramadan on a high note after the government of Uganda handed over a huge piece of land they have been using as burial grounds for believers.
The Minister of State for Lands Dr Sam Mayanja who seems to be a silent follower of Steve Jobs leadership philosophy wasted no minutes on Tuesday 12 March, 2024 in ending a land wrangle that had taken years to resolve.
While meeting dozens of Muslim believers and a handful of Jinja Regional Referral Hospital (JRRH) staff over the contested land commonly called the Jinja Muslim Cemetery, Mayanja made an instant pronouncement that the land belongs to the Muslims.
During the meeting held in the background of a sun-scorched afternoon, the Muslims cried loudly that they have for decades been discriminated against and denied ownership of properties, especially land even when they have adequate documentary evidence.
Although the official written petition was made by the Jinja District Kadhi Sheikh Ismail Basoga, the verbal was presented by Faisal Mohammed who had no kind words for past JRRH administration.
Faisal, who did not mince words, accused some personnel at the hospital of being agents of what he called Mafias bent on grabbing public land in the pretext of putting in more infrastructures.
After quoting several land related legal provisions as provided for in the constitution from colonial to the present and going through the history, Minister Sam Mayanja declared the land belongs to the Muslim community.
Although the JRRH Administrator David Ssemakula tabled their side of the story with supporting documents which they retrieved from the file showing the land belongs to the hospital, the minister had no time to read the report.
“…I have read thoroughly the submission of the petitioner(Muslims) and based on the various land laws, there is no doubt the land belongs to the Muslims, I will get time to read what’s in your file if it’s in tandem with the laws…”Dr Sam Mayanja said.
The Minister immediately directed the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) to expedite the process so that Jinja Muslims get a freehold title and asked the Jinja District Khadhi Sheikh Ismail Basoga to go to his office as soon as possible to get a written letter.
We have learnt that Sheikhs Basoga went to Dr Sam Mayanja’s office on Wednesday 13th March, 2024 and picked the official written communication which is now going to strengthen their position.
The Minister has also written to the top bosses of ULC to dispatch a team of surveyors to open up boundaries to establish the acreage of the land which will pave the way for proper planning by the owners.
It’s not clear whether the top management of JRRH will consider challenging Minister Mayanja who is an authority on legal matters having obtained a PhD in Law.
Officials at the meeting were tight-lipped when this reporter sought a comment over the matter for the purpose of this article, but one personnel who spoke on condition of anonymity said they have no selfish interest in the land since they are purely for health service delivery to the patients.
The land which has for more than 20 years been in the centre of bitter conflict between the Muslims under (Uganda Muslim Supreme Council- UMSC) and JRRH is located on Plot 31-39 Baxi Road and Plot 49-55 Nalufenya Road adjacent to the Jinja School of Nursing and Midwifery and JRRH.
The Muslim leadership headed by the Jinja District Khadhi Sheikh Ismail Adi Basoga says they plan to construct a modern shopping mall and a business centre that will add value to the fast-growing city as well as creating employment opportunities for the members.
Sheikh Basoga dismisses claims by critics that the Muslims are clinging on the prime land just for burials, instead of surrendering it to investors who can establish infrastructures to spur economic growth and development.
The UMSC National chairman Prof Dr Mohammed Kisambira Lubega who doubles as the First Deputy Prime Minister (Katukiro) lauded the Minister for his intervention into the matter.
Prof Dr Lubega reiterated their position that the land will be developed to a modern international standard since some of the remains buried there have strong historical ties with the current government.
The Assistant Mufti,Dr Hussein Mohammed Bowa who serves as the Regional Khadhi for Busoga, together with several clerics from the region attended the function that came when the Muslims are in their first week of Ramadan.
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