AMBROSE MUHUMUZA
Government has embarked on cancelling land titles in wetlands in Mbarara district.
The state minister for Housing and Urban Development, Chris Baryomunsi, said this was being done to protect wetlands from encroachment.
In October last year, President Museveni directed all people who have settled and cultivated in wetlands in Mbarara to vacate with immediate effect.
He issued the directive following huge sums of money that government had invested in pumping water due to depletion of wetlands.
Addressing district leaders in Mbarara yesterday, Baryomunsi said they had started implementing Museveni’s directive.
The starting point, he said, will be cancellation of land titles in wetlands.
The minister said his ministry had made mistakes by issuing titles without verification. This, he said, had stopped.
He noted that government wanted the National Environment and Management Authority (NEMA) to design an atlas clearly showing the locations of all wetlands in the country such that issuance of their tittles is halted.
He has also directed all security officers to arrest and charge all corrupt officials in the ministry of Lands who charge locals extra fees to issue them tittles.
Government is yet to open up the ministry zonal offices across the country to enable locals get services within the quickest time possible.
