KAMPALA- Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has directed an inquiry into the operations of Kampala District Land Board (KDLB) to fast track the anomalies in the board.
The decision followed a meeting she convened at the ministry with officials from KDLB to address the illegalities surrounding the highly contested Bat Valley Land.
The disputed land is on Plot 2, Semiliki Walk Road, near Kisekka Market in Kampala and it originally belonged to Ms H. Damani, who had a running lease of four years with Kampala District Land Board.
She was thrown into a panic nearly three weeks ago when unknown people came and fenced the land, claiming ownership. However, it later emerged that businessman Ivan Byaruhanga was laying claim to the land.
It is against this background that Ms Damani rushed to Kampala High Court to secure an interim order, stopping any activity on the contested land until the ownership dispute was resolved.
Despite an interim court order halting any activity on the contested land, records from the Lands ministry indicate that the land has since been transferred to Buko Minerals and Oil, a process that was completed on September 2 by Byaruhanga
It is against this background that Ms Damani rushed to Kampala High Court to secure an interim order, stopping any activity on the contested land until the ownership dispute was resolved.
In the application, she sued Kampala District Land Board, the commissioner for Land Registration and Mr Byaruhanga.
“There should be no further development or additions on the land by any of the parties,” the interim order, issued on September 3 2021 by the Assistant Registrar of the Land Division of the High Court in Kampala, Mr Simon Kintu Zirintusa, read in part.
The interim order also added that “the status quo on the suit land as it is today should be maintained.”
In the meeting she convened, Nabakooba shared how she was so saddened with the way Ms H. Damani’s case was handled by the Kampala District Land Board. She explained that there were a number of irregularities in addressing Damani’s case which she faults KDLB officials.
“I am disappointed by your actions. From what has been going on, the lady tried to fight for her land and you ignored her pleas. You did not notify her of your intentions of leasing her land, even when she put a caveat you went behind her and worked with the registry to put it away,”Nabakooba told the KDLB officials that were led by Mr David Balondemu, the board chair.
She revealed that KDLB irregularly re-entered the land and the reallocation was also irregular since there was an ongoing lease.
Nabakooba explained that from her observation, Ms Damani still had interest in developing the land and that is why she was looking for the financing options to fund the project.
“The manner in which the new lease was given was also irregular. The rate at which land was transferred is also questioned. How can you sign papers at 3am on a Sunday night,” Nabakooba questioned the KDLB team.
In his defence, Mr David Balondemu, the chairperson of Kampala District Land Board, said he gave out the land in question to Mr Byaruhanga on grounds that the Damani family had failed to develop the land for the last about 21 years and yet “city land is not for mere holding.”
He further argued that in the time the Damanis have owned the land, only a washing bay has been erected on the prime land, contrary to the binding agreement on the leasing of erecting a commercial structure.
The furious Nabakooba instructed the police to investigate the matter for a quick action in a bid to bring about equity.
“I am instructing police to begin investigations now about this matter. Get all files from them (KDLB), statements and investigate both the registry and Kampala District Land Board. We are giving 30 days for mediation and administrative work to have this matter expeditiously handled,” she said.
She added that her ministry will write to the principal judge to ask for a stand over of the matter as they call for a meeting of all stakeholders next week to streamline the matter.
Nabakooba also revealed that she has still declined to sign and approve a number of files to commission District land boards because she has not seen the job they do.
“They are like adding more problems to the existing challenge we have as a ministry. Most of the places I have been to, District Land Boards create the mess. I am not satisfied with their operations.”
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