The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, has asked the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Attorney General to investigate claims of land grabbing and fraudulent issuance of land titles in Agago district.
Tayebwa gave the directive during following a petition by aggrieved community members of Lapono sub-county, presented by area MP, Hon. John Amos Okot (NRM, Agago North County), during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 02 April 2024.
The petitioners faulted the Ministry of Lands for issuing title certificates without involving the community in the surveying process, adding that the Resident District Commissioner alleged in a 17 October 2023 meeting, that the community had willfully given their land to investors.
“The RDC is now using Police and the National Forestry Authority officials to intimidate some leaders who have been standing with the community to protect their right to this customary land,” said Okot.
He noted that NFA officials and some game rangers under Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have menaced the community, citing the destruction of over 10,000 acres of crops by animals.
He added that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development recently discovered mineral presence on the said land, and has since deployed soldiers who continue to intimidate the community.
“The prayer of these people is that this House should investigate the fraudulent issuance of land titles on this land and also investigate the actions of the RDC and other persons mentioned,” Okot added.
The Attorney General observed that all land owned by NFA and UWA is by gazette and all customary ownership of land can be determined by records under the Ministry of Lands.
“If titles have been issued, they should explain how they were given out. Ministry of Lands is within its right to cancel wrongly issued titles. I will work with the Ministry to get to the bottom of this within the 30 days,” Kiryowa Kiwanuka said.
