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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The physical planning department of Masaka city has prohibited the sale and purchase of plots below dimensions of 50 by 100 meters as a way of regulating infrastructure development in the area.
The Physical Planning Act-2010 and its amended version of 2020 gives powers to urban authorities to ensure that growth and development of urban areas is properly planned. But Masaka city physical planner Martin Kigozi says that the recent elevation of Masaka municipality to a city status has triggered a land purchase rush which poses a threat to the town’s physical plan and architectural designs.
He explains that the town has lately attracted several property brokers who are irregularly subdividing very tinny plots of land in the area, some on which have been created in utility service lanes and community access roads which is against the approved land use designs and plans.
According to Kigozi, many property brokers are now targeting new areas that were recently annexed to Masaka municipality to meet the land size of the new city. The boundaries of Masaka city were expanded up to Kingo sub-county in Lwengo district, Kabonera and Mukungwe sub-counties in Masaka district, and Kalungu sub-county in Kalungu district.
Kigozi says despite them carrying out public sensitization on modalities of owning plots and other properties, they are equally considering a raid to messed up areas for purposes of enforcing the approved standards and to prevent the possibility of creating slums in the area.
Masaka city town clerk John Bahengana says they will not administer a disorderly urban council arguing that they are going to ensure that the laws are strictly enforced to the latter. He says that they are going to summon all the property dealers operating in the area and ask them to voluntarily stop such irregular transactions.
Bahengana adds that they are also in touch with the Ministry of Lands zonal office in Masaka to ensure that titles developed in the area conform to the standards.
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