By: Ismael Kasooha
Kabale
The Government of Uganda has distributed 4,000 Customary Certificates of Land Registration to residents of Kabale District.
The objective of the exercise was to secure people’s land and also ensure there is safety of tenure.
While presiding over the distribution exercise of certificates of customary ownership to 4,000 residents on Saturday 10th December at Kakomo playground, Kitumba Sub-County, Kabale District, Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja appealed to the beneficiaries to desist from land fragmentation considering that their interests on land had been secured.
“Stop land fragmentation: It is dangerous to your families. Do not demarcate or fragment this land among your children. Let them use it as a whole and buy their own land,” she told the residents.
Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah addressing the people of Kakomo village, Kitumba sub county, Kabale District during the distribution of land titles
Nabbanja said that the government was working towards bridging the gap between the rich and poor through programmes such as giving people security to tenure so that they could ably develop themselves.
“Having a title in your hands is a big achievement. Do not waste these titles. They are your means to ending poverty at households. Do not rush to put your titles in the bank as collateral to get money in case you get money put it to right use,” cautioned Nabbanja.
Nabbanja assured the people of Kabale that the NRM government led by President Yoweri Museveni was committed to serve the people of Uganda and asked them not to be deceived by other people.
The Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Judith, Nabakooba said most of the 4,000 beneficiary families were small holder farmers with customary land that was demarcated and registered by the Government.
Nabakooba noted that the biggest family land parcel registered so far was 11.32 acres for male-headed households and the average parcel size for most families was 0.4 acres.
“This indicates that land is heavily fragmented in this area. Government and partners are looking at options to reverse this dangerous trend which is counterproductive in the once food basket of Kigezi. The smaller the parcels, the less productive the land becomes,” she said.
The Minister said that Kigezi sub region embraced this government programme of land registration and in Kabale, the sub-counties of Kamuganguzi, Rubaya, Buhara and Kitumba had documented their customary land and received the certificates of customary ownership.
In Kisoro, the Minister revealed that over 12,000 certificates had been issued and they would soon be moving to other areas in the region. She explained that the National Resistance Movement Government, under the current manifesto, pledged to process and give land owners legal documentation in terms of land titles and that was the basis for processing 4,000 customary titles for families in Kabale.
The Netherlands Deputy Ambassador to Uganda Joost Van Ettro assured Government of its continued support so that Ugandans can own their land and also reduce on land related conflicts in the country.
This project is being implemented by the Government of Uganda with support from the Netherlands.
In a related development, the Prime Minister presided over a fundraising drive for a Church in Rubaya Sub county where she contributed 30 million shillings towards the construction.
The Bishop of Kigezi Diocese Rt. Rev. Gaddie Akanjuna thanked the people who contributed towards the construction of the church.
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