Uganda land fund is empty- Amongi

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Commission of Inquiry into land matters has questioned government failure to operationalize the land fund 20-years since it was planned.

The fund is a multi-purpose resource envelope envisaged to serve targeted beneficiaries, including tenants seeking to buy or own land, a government seeking to buy land for redistribution to bonafide occupants or resettlement of the landless, among others. It was supposed to be functional within one year after the coming into force of the Land Act in 1998.

However, the Land Probe Commission today learnt that Uganda does not have a functional land fund. The only available funding is what is given to the Uganda Land Commission, to run its activities. According to Lands Minister Betty Amongi, what is availed at support to the commission, does not address the challenges that were envisaged in creating the fund.

Amongi was this afternoon appearing before the land probe team, which is investigating the mess in the lands sector across the country. The Commission’s lead counsel Ebert Byenkya asked the minister to explain the difficulties experienced in the creation of the fund saying the failures defeat the motive of creating the fund.

In her explanation, Amongi said that she had made steps on the establishment of the Land Fund but was advised by the cabinet to discuss the matter jointly with the Finance Minister to establish whether the government would be able to find sufficient money for it. According to Amongi, The land fund requires 1.7 trillion Shillings to achieve its objectives.

But she was cut short when Byenkya stated that ‘enough money’ is not part of the law.

Amongi also explained that another 157 billion Shillings is required to compensate people whose land has been valued and is now under government. But Byenkya questioned the figures saying the criterion of evaluation is doubtful in the absence of a fully-fledged secretariat and full-time employees in charge of the land fund.

“Money is pouring out of the Land Fund and it is being paid to imposters in billions. These are imposters without a doubt. Employees in the Fund are dedicating time to the wrong reason, your officials have been sharing out on this money and the beneficiaries actually get 30 percent. This is a testimony before this Commission.” Byenkya said.

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