Poor facilitation, orders frustrating work – Wakiso land officers

Wakiso, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Officials at the Ministerial Zonal Land Office in Wakiso district have decried poor facilitation and ‘Orders from Above’ as some of the key challenges frustrating their work hence tainting their image.

There are complaints of corruption, extortion, bribery and delayed processing of land documents against the Wakiso Ministerial Zonal Land Officials.

Recently, officers from the newly created State House Anti-Corruption Unit led by Lt. Col Edith Nakalema raided the offices following numerous complaints from the public. A number of officials were arrested and interrogated over allegations of corruption practices but were released.

Now, as the Lands, Housing and Urban Development Ministry moves to assess zonal offices across the country, the officers at Wakiso have had a chance to tell their supervisors about the challenges they face to deliver services to the public.

Johnson Mukaga, the Principal Land Management Officer at Wakiso Ministerial Zonal Land Office, says although they are blamed for poor service delivery, they are faced with a problem of poor facilitation.

Mukaga stresses that beside the poor facilitation, the Ministerial Zonal Land Offices is understaffed, which makes it very difficult to efficiently attend to the high number of clients.

Another officer only identified as Kim notes that they always get “Orders from above.” “In some cases, we receive orders from above to handle certain issues or put them on pending regarding the interest of the party,” Kim said.

William Turyomurugyendo, the Commissioner in Charge of Planning and Quality Assurance in the Lands Ministry admits the challenges faced by the Zonal offices. He however, cautions the officers against fronting the challenges to cover-up for corruption.

The State Housing Minister, Chris Baryomunsi revealed that he has been receiving several complaints prompting some officials in the ministry to call for the closure of the Wakiso Zonal Land offices.

The Wakiso District LC V Chairperson, Matia Lwanga Bwanika, says in order to streamline and improve service delivery at the regional land offices, there is a need to amend the available land laws to clearly stipulate the mandate and limits of such offices.

Bwanika also expressed concern that despite the fact that the Ministerial Zonal Land Offices carry out land transactions where billions are collected, local governments haven’t benefited from the collections because all the money is taken the central government. Baryomunsi assured the chairperson that the issue of the money is will be subjected to a debate involving all stakeholders.

Prior to the establishment of the Ministerial zonal offices all land transactions were conducted at the Lands Ministry Headquarters. Those in need of land services such as processing titles would be required to travel to the Ministry.

However, government established zonal offices in a bid to bring services closer to the public. They are found in Mbarara, Masaka, Kampala, Jinja, Mbale, Arua, Masindi, Mukono, Fort Portal, Lira, Gulu and Kibaale. Given the high demand and increased land transactions, Wakiso District was given a fully flagged Ministerial Zonal Office.

*****

URN