LOP wants select committee to probe land grabbing

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Leader of Opposition in Parliament Betty Aol Ochan has asked Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to institute a Select Committee to investigate the rampant land evictions in the country.

Ochan was presenting a petition to parliament on Tuesday on behalf of 32 people regarding their eviction from their land in Mbarara municipality.

The group led by Sam Arinaitwe and Robert Adrifua say their land on Block 1 Plot 108, Kakiika cell, Kamukuzi division was grabbed in May 2002 by Captain Mugume Gordon who works in State House.  Ochan says their homes and plantations were demolished.

She reveals that the complaints were availed to State House in December 2016 but nothing has been done to help the evictees who have now petitioned parliament through her office.

Ochan said she was appealing to the Office of the President to respond to the issue and ensure compensation for the 32 evictees.

She decried the blatant disregard of a court judgment that pronounced the eviction illegal and demanded that the Inspector General of Police and the Director of Public Prosecution produce a report to the house on why no prosecution was carried out against the eviction pronounced illegal by the court.

She asked the Speaker to put in place a special committee to look into the rampant land grabbing across the country and noted that officials connected to State House act like they are above the law.

Kadaga did not pronounce herself on the request for a special committee and instead directed the minister for the presidency to investigate the complaint and report to parliament in two weeks.

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URN