Bunyoro MP implicated in land grabbing scandal
KIKUUBE-Buhaguzi East County Member of Parliament [ MP ]Stephen Aseera Aka Itaza has been implicated in a scandal where community land in Kikuube district was titled without the knowledge of the residents living on it.
The land in question is located in Musaijjamukuru B, Buhimba Sub-county, and Mukabara village in Kiziranfumbi Sub-county, all in Kikuube district.
MP Aseera is accused alongside Charles Nyabongo Ochaki, a legislator for Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom Rukurato, and Job Muhumuza, a Kampala-based businessman, for trying to grab land measuring 127.5590 hectares on plot 172 block 22, with 10,000 residents settling on it.
The land in question also includes Musaijamukuru hill where Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom performs culture rituals before presiding over Empango ceremonies.
The land titles for the said land were produced on November 18, 2020, bearing the names of Stephen ASeera, Charles Nyabongo Ochaki Job Muhumuza, accompanied by their national identification numbers [NIN].
The residents who recently stormed the office of Kikuube resident district commissioner, Amlan Tumusiime, seeking help after getting information about their land being titled without their knowledge.
Jackson Bahemuka, one of the residents, explained that he hired Swizee Property Consultants to have his land titled. However, upon visiting Masindi Lands Zonal Office, the company officials discovered that the land and that of others in the village already was titled by the accused three.
John Kembabazi, the chairperson of a committee which was formed by the residents to reclaim the communal land, said the residents want the fake title canceled by the relevant authorities, fearing that it could be sold to a new buyer.
The Kikuube district chairperson, Peter Banura was concerned about the increasing cases of fraud in land transactions and blamed the mess on the area land committees, whom he accused of conniving with land grabbers to title people’s land.
Banura added that MP Aseera has denied being involved in the processing of the titles for the land in question, adding that the MP told him it was the work of his enemies who want to tarnish his name.
In a telephone interview with this reporter, MP Aseera said his signature was forged by those who applied to have the contested land titled.
He said he had petitioned the Ministry of Lands demanding the cancelation of the said land title.
However, Banura said that he advised the MP to write a statement denying the title and open up a case with the police so that they investigate the matter.
The Kikuube district speaker, Chris Nkalu said the increasing cases of land grabbing in the district are becoming a security threat. He advised the affected residents to seek court redress.
RDC Tumusiime, when contacted, said that the district security committee has picked interest in the matter, adding that several measures have been put in place to ascertain how the three acquired the land title. He noted that his office has already petitioned the State Minister for Lands, Sam Mayanja, and other relevant authorities to intervene in the matter.
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