MP Rukaari opens war on land grabbers in Mbarara

Amos Tayebwa

Mbarara

There have been a number of Land issues in Mbarara City especially individuals grabbing public or government lands. However, the area Member of Parliament for Mbarara City North, Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari has vowed to intensify the fight against them.

Speaking to the journalists during a press briefing about the status of land protection in Mbarara City North, Rukaari said that they have so far blocked potential grabbers and the status in Mbarara City is now calm.

Rukaari further said that there has also been an issue of land conflict among the communities in this constituency. He said that the biggest part of conflicts of some lands that have been in dispute in some areas of this constituency have been solved and titles have been given. Some of the settled conflicts include, Kyarwabuganda and Rwenjuru land which had a lot of conflicts.

About Rwenjuru land issue, the majority of people have settled on their land because of the efforts that were made by Rukaari, local leasers or City Council and the RCC who participated and made sure that the bonafide tenants occupy their land without any conflict from the landlord Kiribata who has also been partially settled. On the Kyarwabuganda public Land, the one who attempted to grab this land David Buryo was floored in high court where he had filed the case about this land.

The land was legally given the title after efforts of the area Member of Parliament and the Mbarara City North Division Council. “On Kyarwabuganda Land a I used my influence as the area MP and took teams to the ministry of lands for a hearing and we defended ourselves and the good news now that we have, our title has been issued and no single person will again claim for that land and we shall use it appropriately as government,” Rukaari said.

According to Rukaari, the major other land issue is Rwendama Land in Kanyaryeru which is almost 10 acres. The land title was manipulated after some people processed a land title which was fake. According to Rukaari, they have since petitioned the State house Anti-Corruption unit which is investigating the matter.

That among the other lands in Mbarara City North constituency that have issues include some government land in Rwebishuri, another one in Kakiika behind Ntare School.

That this land is not mapped, not titled but efforts are being made to put all these in order to hand over to bonafide tenants to settle.

On Koranorya land, there is a big challenge where the whole market and the trading centre are situated on land which they do not own. This land is reportedly owned by the landlord by the family of Late Sula Mulemela. However, the Leadership of Mbarara City are now engaging the family to see whether the government can compensate them and the people own the market.

Besides, Rukaari revealed that as the constituency they are settling other issues beyond land like two issues which are very sensitive in their constituency—water and agro farming.

The good news is that the government is extending water from R. Kagyera from Isingiro that will pass through Mbarara which will sort out the Mbarara City and the neighborhood areas.

MP Rukaari also cautioned people who are criticizing the efforts of promoting agro farming within the City. He said that when someone is a leader and brings seedlings, it is a priority to the people living in the city like in the areas of Rwenjeru, Rwenturagara, Kyarwabuganda, Kishasha, and Kafunjo.

“Some people have been demonizing that Rukaari gave cassava seedlings, maize seedlings, Sugarcane, hoes to urban people, but whoever demonizes that kind of work is a demon to himself or herself. As a leader it is my duty to guide the misled people who mislead our people because of what God has given to them. This is a city that still has people that do Agriculture. I must tell you that Agriculture is an integral part of our City for now and it will take some years. We are entering into the rainy season, I am going to mobilise more seedlings of maize, beans, cassava, sweet potatoes, sugarcane and I will bring them to my people to help them get out of the 39% which is not in the money economy,” said Rukaari.

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