The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luweero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Departed Asians Property Custodian Board has embarked on a verification exercise of people occupying property formerly owned by Asians in Luweero district.
There are 38 properties in Luweero district formerly owned by Asians before they were expelled by President Idi Amin from Uganda in 1972.
Among the property is Namagala Estate, Bwamba Coffee estate, Luweero Curing factory, Bombo Common Primary school and land occupied by Bombo town council offices among others.
The Luweero Deputy Resident District Commissioner Miriam Kagaiga Mugisha explains that according to communication from Abdulhu Byakatonda the Chairperson of Custodian Board Divestiture Committee, the board will update, validate and verify all people occupying the property.
Kagaiga explains that a meeting with district leaders has been held to sensitise them on the exercise and questionnaires sent to people occupying the property. The questionnaires include questions asking the occupants how and when they acquired the property.
Kagaiga says that once the exercise is complete, the board intends to issue certificates to the occupants to protect them from eviction.
However, some occupants through the Bombo Central Parish Councillor Umar Ssengendo are in fear that this could be a plan by Departed Asians Custodian Property Board to grab their land and evict them.
Ssengendo explains that residents in Bombo town council bought the land from the family of late Kizito Kisingiri a Buganda regent and the Departed Asians are no longer the rightful owners of land in the area.
Osman Kassim the LC 3 of Bombo town council explains that departed Asians got leases from the Kisingiri family which expired before the land was sold to the current occupants.
Osman adds that they are sceptical about the exercise and purpose because it may not be in good faith.
Other affected people in Luweero town said they bought the land from Asians before they left Uganda and have been asked to present certificates as proof of ownership.
When reached for a comment, the member of Custodian Board Divestiture Committee Augustine Okello who led the team to meet leaders in Luweero declined to comment and asked the journalist to visit their offices based in Kampala for documents about the exercise.
***
URN
