Ignorance of the Laws is Major cause of Land Conflicts- Minister Mayanja

By George Bukenya

Ignorance about law and policy among the community is the major cause of land wrangles in Uganda especially in Buganda region where there’s Milo land tenure system. 

Many people in the communities don’t know the law regarding their land rights and usage and due to that Ignorance they end up suffering in the hands of landlords and the so called tycoons who buy large chalks of land and chase the out.

The Minister of State for Lands Hon. Samuel Mayanja says there’s agent need to intensify sensitization of the masses about their rights on land ownership and usage and if this is handled properly, the problem of land grabbing will greatly reduce or be eliminated. 

“The communities and the general public are lacking information regarding land laws and policy and this cause the several illegal evictions and grabbing,’’ Hon. Dr. Mayanja explained to the media.

He said that this has prompted him to embark on community sensitisization so as to help the public get aware of the various land laws and usage policies and so far seven awareness weeks have been organized and this have yielded positive results.

While addressing reporters at Uganda Media Centre, Hon. Mayanja revealed that his ministry is organizing another awareness week in Busoga region where there will be community dialogues in designated places.

“We will like we have been doing in other places open people’s eye and mind in the Busoga community such that they get to know their constitutional land rights for instance the Widow, Youths and people with disability on how they can have certificate of ownership.’’ Dr. Mayanja said.

He also said that the Milo land tenure system is complicated in the sense that, it recognizes the Kibanja holder and a bonefied occupant according to section 58 of the land article.

Article 237 clauses 8 also dictate that the Kibanja Holder has security of occupancy making an overriding rights and this partly cause insecurity on land.

“The limitation of Milo land tenure system is that the land title holder has no guaranteed right of occupancy whereas the Kibanja owner has the right of occupancy.’’ He said.

Minister Mayanja also said that the land awareness week will involve sensitization of the community in the area on environmental conservation, quality of land usage among others and a tree planting exercise will also be conducted and more than 500 are targeted per District.

A total of 5000 certificate of occupancy will be issued to people who own land customary and these will act as security to people living and using such land in Busoga.

Brain Agaba the spokesperson of Coalition of Pastoralists Civil Society Organizations (COPASCO) said that his organization also engage pastoralists on issues of strengthening capacity of the communities.

They also convey massages on land laws and policies to pastoralist so as to protect them and as well as giving them legal advice using mobile clinics.

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