The Museveni Commission of Inquiry into land matters has advised administrators of Bukalasa Lands Office in Luweero district to kick out land agents in order to regain public trust.
The no nonsense commission led by Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire issued the advice after getting reports that land agents had taken over Bukalasa Land Office, triggering massive corruption and cheating residents who are seeking to process land titles.
By last evening, the commission had registered over 30 complaints against Bukalasa Land Office from residents. One of the complainants; Steven Kalema, a resident of Nakatete village in Kikyusa Sub County told the commission that he lost 120 acres to one Edwin Lubwama who fraudulently obtained a title for the same piece of land.
The other case involves Elizabeth Babirye, an elderly resident of Kitanda in Bombo Town Council who was declared dead by another person who secured letters of administration for her land and later was issued with a land title.
In both cases, the complainants partly accused land agents of abetting forgery for letters of administration and succession certificates. Other petitioners told the commission that they are compelled to seek the services of land agents because they process land titles in two days yet ordinary people spend months without success.
Commissioner Rose Nakayi tasked Denis Kahabura, a registrar at Bukalasa Land Office to explain the need for land agents instead of dealing directly with the applicants.
Kahabura told the commission that the agents had been evicted from the precincts of the land office after several complaints were lodged against them. However, they are still submitting applications for land titles on behalf of residents who entrust them.
He added some agents have been arrested for conning residents but later released without charge.
Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, the head of the commission observed that the existing measures are not guarding the public against exploitation by agents who are close to the officers. She advised that the office must dismiss all land agents and work directly with applicants to stop distrust from general public.
Justice Bamugemereire further explained that the presence of land agents at the facility shows that there is a gap which should also be closed by registrars. She also expressed disappointment over poor storage of land titles and other official documents
Robert Opio, the Commissioner in Charge of Registration of Land Titles also told the commission that the process of cancelling land titles in question and re-registering them in the names of the rightful owners has already started.
He however noted that some of the management problems at Bukalasa Land Office will be addressed by the computerization system.
The Commission of inquiry adjourned until next week. The Commission is inquiring into the effectiveness of the law, policies and processes of land acquisition, land administration, land management and registration.
