The Ministry of Lands has issued land ownership documents to more than 20,000 residents of Kitumbi Sub-county in Bukuya, Kassanda District, covering seven villages, in a move that has brought relief and jubilation to the communities.
The beneficiary villages include Kyalyabulo I, Kyalyabulo II, Kyengera, Kazinga, Lubaali, Bwandagi and Kitumbi.
The State Minister for Lands, Sam Mayanja, handed over the land titles to village chairpersons and strongly condemned land grabbers, warning that their days are numbered.
Before the handover, LCII Chairperson Augustine Gasaasira briefed the minister on the hardships residents had endured over the years while fighting for secure land ownership. On behalf of the community, he thanked the government for granting them permanent ownership of the land.
Gasaasira said residents initially received the news with disbelief that President Yoweri Museveni would grant them land titles, but their area Member of Parliament, Dr. Michael Bukenya Kyabikoola, later confirmed it, restoring hope among the people.
“We were here when the Minister of Lands, Judith Nabakooba, promised us that President Museveni would give us this land. We have walked a long journey despite many obstacles, but when Minister Mayanja came in, he solved everything,” Gasaasira said.
The land, located in Singo Block 493, covers about five square miles and is home to approximately 20,000 people.
Gasaasira, however, noted that another challenge remains concerning land belonging to the Kamuseenene clan, where residents face possible eviction because the title holder has not yet been fully compensated. He appealed to the government to intervene.
He added that land disputes are common in the area and called for continued government support, while expressing happiness that residents had finally received the land titles they had long dreamed of.
Bwandagi Cell Chairperson Gabriel Ssendayi said the land originally belonged to the late Drake Ndiwalana, who used to allocate plots to residents for farming in exchange for at least three sacks of beans per season.
Ssendayi explained that after the forest was cleared, Ndiwalana allowed people to settle on the land but later passed away. His children later disagreed over the land, with some demanding eviction of residents and others seeking compensation, leading to prolonged court battles.
“Later, we learned that the lease had expired and that they were planning to renew it. As residents, we decided that the lease should instead be granted to us,” Ssendayi said.
He added that after approaching Minister Nabakooba, they were informed that the President would grant them the land—news that ended years of fear and uncertainty.
“We lived in fear of eviction for a long time. We even lacked a government school, but now that we have received the land, we believe development will follow,” Ssendayi said.
The MP for Bukuya County in Kasanda District, Michael Bukenya revealed that after securing the land, the President also provided residents with 23,000 coffee seedlings, encouraging them to plant now that eviction threats have been eliminated.
Minister Mayanja said many residents had previously failed to benefit from government programs such as Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga due to lack of land ownership documents.
“Now that you have titles, you qualify for these government programs,” Mayanja said, adding that the President has directed that bibanja holders should also receive land titles that can be used as collateral.
He noted that the titles issued are freehold, meaning beneficiaries cannot be evicted, and assured residents that issuance of land titles to lawful occupants would continue nationwide.
The minister also warned individuals involved in land grabbing to desist, saying the law would take its full course against them.
