Lack of urban development plans worries Kagadi, Kibaale leaders

Local government leaders of Kagadi town council in Kagadi district and Kibaale town council in Kibaale district have remained concerned over the shifting of land titles, delays, and poor planning of urban development centres.

According to local leaders, the urban centres are undergoing rapid development yet lack effective urban development plans. Others still lack the plans, an issue which calls for rapid government intervention.

Areas with plans have continuously encountered land disputes among communities, which have also contributed to hardship to have organised urban centres.

William Kasaija, the LC3 chairperson of Kagadi town council, said they have noted a shift in land titles, an issue affecting the development of the area.

“We have a problem of land titles shifting from one place to another, leaving their clearly designated points, and this has fueled a lot of land issues in communities,” he said.

Speaking on urban development, Kasaija said that Kagadi, which is a planning centre, remains backwards due to delays and poor planning for urban development.

He calls for quick government interventions through the Uganda Land Commission. “Kagadi is a planning centre,” he noted.

Dr Kenneth Kabyanga, the LC3 chairman of Kibaale town council, noted that his area lacks a proper urban development plan, a situation which he said has caused poor development patterns.

“The area is under rapid development but with no clear urban development plans. We have people with structures but with no streets just because the area is not planned,” Kabyanga stressed.

Leaders expressed their concerns during community sensitisation on Systematic Land Demarcation (SLAD), an exercise organised by the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) in Kibaale and Kagadi districts.

The purpose of the engagement was to mobilise and sensitise communities on the process of acquiring land titles under the SLAD program.

Tom John Fisher Kasenge, a Commissioner at the Uganda Land Commission who represented the Chairperson of ULC, Prof. Pen Mogi Nyeko, during an engagement and sensitisation of Kagadi Bibanja holders at Kyomukama trading centre, said the government, through the Uganda Land Commission, has already secured over 2,000 land titles worth shs543billion.

Fisher also revealed that over 10,000 Kagadi absentee landlords living on 2 square miles of land in three parishes of Kyomukama, Kitegwa and Kihayura in Kagadi district are the beneficiaries.

“Beneficiaries will fully become bona fide occupants of the land,” he said.

Denis Musinguzi, the principal land officer at ULC, noted that land titles will only be issued to the bona fide occupants, including government institutions like schools and churches, households, among others.

Margret Naziwa Rujumba, the woman MP for Kagadi, said the issuance of land titles will help in curbing land insecurity, which she said has affected agricultural development.

According to her, communities will be able to participate in growing highly valuable perennial crops like coffee, among others.

“Initially, people have not been engaging in active agriculture for fear of eviction from their lands. Land being a key factor of production, securing it for communities will help strengthen community development in agriculture,” she noted.

Stephen Twesige Rulekere, the Buyaga East MP, however, challenges the commission over processing charges imposed on the beneficiaries, urging the government to make the entire process free.

“The ministry should look into ways of cutting all costs meant to be paid by the title beneficiaries in this process,” he urged.

The MPs urged the Ministry of Lands to address land insecurity in Kagadi and the historical injustices caused by the colonial government, saying peace and value for land will increase with productivity.