LAND COMMISSION SUSPENDS WORK DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS

By; Ben Musanje

The Land Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire has announced a temporal suspension of its inquiries due to lack of funds.

Without giving the first allocations and what is required to the commission Justice Bamugemereire said they are out of funds after covering two months of investigations in which they have registered 1,567 complaints and interviewed 150 witnesses.

Investigations involved landlord tenant relationships, persistent land grabbing, double titling, management of departed Asian custodian board property and management of cultural and religious institution land. Other issues included encroachment on gazatted and protected areas like forest reserves and wetlands, abuse of office by public officials in land registry and management processes and mismanagement of land by government or state entities.

If funds are availed they will start with visiting major districts like Mubende, Fort Portal, Mbarara, Hoima, Gulu, Amuru, Mbale and Kayunga among others.

In May, Lands Minister, Betty Amongi assured the Commission of funds however Bamugemereire notes that they have reached out to the Lands Ministry on the funding in vain yet they do not want to accumulate unnecessary debts.

Bamugemereire says the Commission will still hand in a provisional report by August even if the Lands Ministry fails to avail them the money to complete the work.