STATE HOUSE REFUSES TO HAND OVER TOORO KINGDOM LAND TITLES

By Syrivia Kugonza
in Kamwenge—-

Tooro Kingdom officials were on Friday left disappointed after the
exercise to handover land titles of properties in Kamwenge district
was halted.
The officials led by the Prime Minister, Bernard Tungwako were in
Kamwenge to receive the land titles of properties that were taken away
by the Obote government in 1966 when cultural institutions were
abolished. The properties include 325 acres of land and the Nyacwamba
Palace that are currently being occupied by the Uganda Prisons, 8
acres of land at Galinaya in Kamwenge town council, 60 acres of land
in Kamwenge town council, 25 acres in Kahunge town council and 194
acres at Kabuga parish in Kamwenge town council.
Last week, Sandra Ndyomugenyi, the Principal Private Secretary to
President on legal affairs invited officials from Tooro, Kamwenge
district local governments, the Kamwenge Resident District
Commissioner and the Commissioner General Uganda Prisons to attend the
physical possession of properties by Tooro Kingdom.
However on Friday evening, kingdom officials who included ministers
had turned up for the ceremony in big numbers were disappointed to
learn that Ndyomugenyi did not carry the land titles.
Ndyomugenyi said that before the titles are handed over to the kingdom,
there should be commitment from the kingdom that squatters occupying
the land will not be evicted. She explained that she had received
complaints from some squatters that the kingdom was planning to evict
them once they receive the titles.
Ndyomugenyi said that the kingdom should meet all the squatters on its
land and report back to State House and office of the Attorney General
before April 17th 2018.
Another dispute is the actual size of the land that is being occupied
by prisons. While as the kingdom claims it is 325 acres, prisons say
they are occupying only 150 acres.
Ndyomugenyi advised both the Kingdom and the prions to open the
boundaries first and ascertain the acres are being occupied by
prisons.
However her remarks drew protests from Polly Kateeba, the Kingdom’s
lands Minister, who said that there was no need to discuss with the
squatters, since during negotiations the kingdom committed itself not
to evict the squatters, but will be required to pay ground rent.
Since 2013, the institution has been demanding the assets from the
government. The assets were forcefully taken from kingdoms by the
central government in 1966, when the then President Milton Obote
abolished traditional institutions and made Uganda a republic.

They include chunks of land currently occupied by squatters in the
districts of Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa and Kabarole. The Kingdom also has
assets in Kasese and Bundibugyo, which were formerly under Tooro
Kingdom.

Last month, the kingdom parliament, Orukurato unanimously agreed to
sue the government for failure to return the kingdom’s property.

Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email: wmuhwezi75gmail.com
Tel:+256702680106.