Luuka Chiefdom, one of the royal provinces of Busoga Kingdom, is set to sensitize its subjects on the importance of securing land titles to combat the rampant land theft in the area. This initiative is being led by the chiefdom’s monarch, Prince Willington Nabwana Inhensiko IV.
The royal chief believes that without proper land titles, his subjects will face significant challenges in the future as opportunists may take advantage of the lack of documentation to grab their land. In response, the chiefdom has collaborated with the Office of the President in Luuka District, led by Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Mr. Ronald Katende, to promote the initiative and encourage locals to adopt this important drive.
During a press conference at the RDC’s office on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, the officials emphasized that traditional land boundaries need to be supported by formal land titles to protect landowners from encroachers and grabbers. Prince Nabwana stated, “My children of Luuka Chiefdom, I am here to rally you for our chiefdom’s core values. These include our land. This land must be protected by having titles.”
Earlier in February this year, the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Physical Planning launched a project aimed at improving the district’s infrastructure and land administration. The ‘Competitive Enterprise Development Project’ plays a critical role in providing freehold land titles to the residents of Luuka District.
Prince Nabwana also highlighted that the chiefdom’s collaboration with the Lands Ministry has enabled locals to obtain land titles at a lower cost. “We went to the Ministry of Lands and engaged the authorities handling the land titling project in Luuka District. We pleaded that our people cannot afford the high fees, and they listened to our concerns,” the monarch said. He revealed that residents whose land titles are successfully processed would only need to pay a fee of 85,000 shillings (Shs85,000) as tax.
Luuka RDC, Mr. Ronald Katende, further elaborated on the importance of properly utilizing land. He echoed President Yoweri Museveni’s call to avoid land fragmentation, advising that family land should be used collectively rather than divided into small, unproductive pieces. Land fragmentation, he noted, is a significant cause of poverty as it leads to social conflicts, overlapping boundaries, and disputed ownership.
RDC Katende also pointed out that 95% of customary land in Uganda lacks formal titles, and many landowners are unable to secure them. To address this, the government initiated a program to help Ugandans secure their land titles. Busoga, Bunyoro, Mubende, Kayunga, and other areas are beneficiaries of the project, which provides freehold land titles at affordable rates.
However, the RDC expressed concern over corruption, citing cases where some civil servants, including sub-county chiefs, surveyors, and consultants from the Lands Ministry, had started charging locals unfairly for registration. “We agreed that residents can pay the fee of Shs85,000 in installments as long as it goes through the right procedures,” he said. He warned that anyone attempting to undermine this government program would face legal consequences.
Owek. Lwiigo David Iggulu Isabirye, the Prime Minister of Luuka Chiefdom, told the media that the project is aimed at adding value to traditional land. He noted that the project will run for only three months and urged residents to embrace the campaign quickly.
