KIKUUBE – The State Minister for Lands, Sam Mayanja has stopped the exercise of surveying a big chunk of land in Kikuube district, allegedly belonging to Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Rukirabasaija Agutamba Solomon Gafabusa Iguru I.
According to the kingdom’s chief prince Fred Mugenyi Ruchunya, Omukama Iguru I had hired Hansem Technical Services Limited to survey and open boundaries of the land allegedly measuring 115 square miles in Kyangwali and Kabwoya sub-counties.
Minister Mayanja halted the surveying exercise on the lands following a letter dated April 26, 2023, in which the Kikuube district resident commissioner Amlan Tumusime indicated there was a discrepancy in the size of the land to be surveyed.
According to Tumusiime, the Kikuube district administrative officer had on June 26, 2022, received a letter from the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Dorcus Okalany, only okaying the boundary opening of 20.5 square miles as land belonging to Omukama Iguru I.
Tumusiime said Okalany talks of the king’s land being located in the areas of Kaseta, Butoole and Buhuka parish in Kyangwali Sub-county, yet 115 square miles allegedly belonging to the king extend to Kabwoya Sub-county, bringing about confusion.
He was also concerned that in trying to survey and open boundaries of the 115 square miles, Hoima Sugar Limited was brought into the equation, being accused of grabbing the land belonging to the kingdom.
“You are also talking of surveying and opening boundaries of Hoima Sugar Limited whom you accuse of having illegally encroached on the Kingdom land. The record I have in my office is that Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom leased 22 square miles piece of land to Hoima Sugar Limited for sugarcane growing for a period of 99 years. Resurveying of this land contradicts the records I have in my office.”
He added: “I observe that the chief Prince of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom…Fred Mugenyi Ruchunya in his letter dated January 16, 2023 to Kikuube district chief administrative officer talks of 115 square miles of which you are supposed to survey and remove 10 square miles to be given to Survey Uganda Limited in form of remuneration to carry out this assignment.”
He said Survey Uganda Limited has already sold 6 square miles of land to one Bernic Bananire Buzabo Batamba. “This brings confusion. It appears after opening the boundary, the 10 square miles of land will be taken off as payment for your [Hansem Technical Services Limited] work yet this land is occupied by people, government institutions such as school, hospitals and churches.”
According to Minister Mayanja there is a need to harmonise the acreage under contention before the surveying exercise can continue.
He noted that the claims by Hansem Technical Services Limited to resurvey and open boundaries of land leased to Hoima Sugar Limited has no merit.
He added: “The boundary opening of over 115 square miles is likely to be used as precursor of eviction since the alleged land is currently occupied by so many households and could cause insecurity and lawlessness in the area” Minister Mayanja said in a letter dated of April 27, 2023.”
Reacting to the minister’s decision to halt the surveying exercise, Ruchunya said it was uncalled for, adding that government already compensated the king for the 20.5 square miles to the tune of Shs 39 billion, allowing peasants to stay on the land freely.
He noted the contested boundary opening exercise is also aimed at determining whether the kingdom land is free of encumbrances, adding that they will engage government for compensation if they find that people have encroached on the land.
It is true most of the Kingdom land has been encroached on by different people, mostly in Kyangwali Sub-county.it is true Hoima Sugar Limiter was leased 22 square miles of land but we do not know where land starts or ends. There are some people taking advantage of this situation and are selling the kingdom’s land to Hoima Sugar Limited. We are trying to stop that,” Ruchunya said.
He claimed that people who have been involved in the illegal selling of the Kingdom land are the ones misleading the leaders about the exercise to survey and open boundaries.
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