Parliament's Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development has ordered a police investigation after recovering hundreds of land files allegedly hidden in shops and vehicle boots near the Mukono Zonal Land Office (MZO).
The committee, led by chairperson Edison Rugumayo, was inspecting the office as part of an inquiry into allegations of land fraud, delays in processing titles and other irregularities affecting land transactions in Mukono District.
During the inspection, legislators toured various departments and questioned staff about their work, including the handling and storage of land records.
At the office of Senior Staff Surveyor Steven Ndegeya, the committee raised concerns over alleged irregularities involving land titles reportedly created in wetlands and central forest reserves.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
The legislators also questioned officials about more than 200 titles reportedly issued in Mabira Forest and demanded a list of people associated with the titles.
The committee was further alarmed after being told that more than 50 land titles had allegedly been created on the government-owned Njeru Stock Farm.
Rugumayo asked Ndegeya to provide the transaction trail, original title documents, geographical maps and details of all individuals holding titles on the land.
Ndegeya asked for more time, saying he needed to consult registrars before preparing an organised report.
He told the committee that there was no certificate of title for Njeru Stock Farm belonging to the Uganda Land Commission in the system.
However, he said the system contained records of individual Mailo landowners whose interests dated back many years, arguing that some people who obtained titles on the land had acquired them legally.
The committee later met MZO officials to establish the causes of the complaints and alleged irregularities.
Three staff members, Dan Kyalo, Hannifah Nantongo and Susan Aceru, were tasked with producing files that were allegedly being taken out of the MZO.
The three denied having moved the files.
However, accompanied by police officers, the committee recovered hundreds of titles allegedly stored in shops across the road from the land office. Other files were reportedly found in vehicle boots.
When questioned about who had instructed them to keep the files outside the office, the officials reportedly told the committee they had been directed by their supervisor, Ndegeya.
The committee also questioned the security team deployed by the Ministry of Lands in Kampala about how the files and titles had been removed from the office.
It emerged that Emma Otim, the security head, had left responsibility for keeping the office keys with a private security guard who routinely opens and closes the office.
The committee questioned why a guard whose primary responsibility was reportedly to man the gate had been entrusted with the office keys.
Principal Assistant Secretary at the MZO, Doreen Tumushabe, said she could not be held responsible for the alleged conduct of individual employees but promised to strengthen supervision.
Tumushabe also cited staff shortages, lack of vehicles and the large number of complaints involving allegedly forged land titles among the challenges affecting the office.
During the oversight visit, the committee also discovered hundreds of allegedly forged land titles at the MZO.
Officials told the committee that no related case had been opened at Mukono Police Station despite the alleged discovery of the forged titles.
The committee also heard complaints from members of the public who said they had waited for years to obtain land titles or have land disputes resolved.
A 75-year-old woman, Maria Nakitende, told the committee that she had waited for decades for authorities to resolve her title-related matter.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Hajji Musa Muliika of Katosi alleged that he was asked to pay Shs14 million after the title he had submitted was reportedly lost while in the hands of MZO officials.
Rugumayo directed police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the removal and concealment of the files and establish why they were taken outside the office, particularly ahead of the committee's visit.
He also ordered the head of the Mukono land office to submit, within one week, a report on land titles in Mabira Forest and wetlands, as well as complaints against staff members.
Masaka legislator Joan Namutaawe criticised the quality of services at the land office and questioned whether Tumushabe was fully in control of operations at the MZO.
Namutaawe warned that the committee would pursue cases involving alleged illegal occupation and development in wetlands.
