The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Rt. Rev. Wilson Kisekka, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Luwero, has urged employees at the Bukalasa Land Offices in Wobulenzi Town Council, Luwero District, to prioritize service delivery based on ethics.
The Bukalasa Land Offices have faced scrutiny due to bribery, fraud, and mismanagement of land records. Reports indicate that officials solicit bribes for processing land transactions, issuing land titles, or resolving disputes.
Some employees have been known to issue fraudulent land titles or sell the same parcel of land to multiple buyers.
In 2021, the Land Offices were accused of deliberately delaying the issuance of land titles, and staff absenteeism at these offices.
In response to the complaints, the Ministry of Lands, with support from the World Bank, established a ministerial zonal office at Bukalasa to implement a computerized Land Information System (LIS). This initiative aimed to streamline property titling, and land registration, and improve overall land administration.
However, residents and leaders have expressed disappointment over the lack of improvements in service delivery.
On Friday, a team from the Church of Uganda (CoU) land department, led by the Retired Bishop of Mukono Diocese, Rt. Rev. James William Ssebaggala, accompanied by Bishop Kisekka of Luwero Diocese, visited the Land offices.
Rev. William Mirimu Zziwa, the Luwero Diocesan Communication and Information Officer, explains that the visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between the Church and the land offices for improved land management and to address challenges faced by the Church regarding its land.
During the visit, Bishop Kisekka conducted special prayers for the workers, urging them to adhere to ethical standards. He emphasized the importance of honesty, integrity, fairness, and transparency in all dealings, particularly concerning land management and public transactions.
Bishop Kisekka said that the services provided at the Bukalasa Land Offices should be free of public complaints related to corruption and mismanagement, warning that unethical practices could further erode public trust.
Sam Serunjogi, Director of Serunjogi Investments Limited in Wobulenzi, noted that security guards prevent individuals from seeking assistance from land registrars or surveyors regarding their grievances.
Elizabeth Namanda, the then Luwero District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), acknowledged receiving numerous complaints about the zonal land offices but stated that she lacked authority over the staff, who were directly recruited by the Ministry of Lands.
Persis Namuganza, the state minister for Lands, asserted that the zonal offices in Luwero are adequately staffed and equipped to process land titles within a week, promising to investigate the complaints raised.
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