BY RWENZORI DAILY
Government through the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has resolved a land conflict between the cultivators and pastoralists at Nkoko Village, Hima Parish in Kitswamba Sub-county, Kasese district.
On Tuesday, the Kasese Resident District Commissioner and other members on the Security Committee and a Surveyor from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development thronged Nkoko village and read to the affected residents the findings of survey report that was recently carried out to solve the land conflict that started in 2007.
A survey report signed by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and addressed to the State House – Presidential Advisors on Land Matters indicated that the UPDF has 670.09 hectares of land translating to 1656.46 acres while the pastoralists have 1416.43 hectares amounting to 3500 acres and the cultivators have 310.094 hectares totaling to 766.24 acres.
Mr. Sam Okiria, a Government Surveyor also revealed that there still 400 extra acres of land which are not claimed for by any of the parties in conflict indicating that they belong to government and in this case Kasese District Local Government.
Addressing the residents, the Kasese Resident District Commissioner, Lt Joe Walusimbi who warned against any further conflicts advised both the cultivators and pastoralists to survey the land that government has given to them with immediate effect so that they legally own it with proof of land titles.
Responding to a speech made by the L.C III Chairperson, Mr. Yofesi Katenene indicating none of the health workers at Nkoko Health Centre II was today present on duty and that he had personally put a padlock on the said heath centre, Lt. Walusimbi directed that all the health workers posted to the facility should report to police and make statements showing the reasons why the abandoned duty and yet it was a working day.
Earlier, the area Local Council I Chairperson, Mr. Fred Nuwagaba had reported that the Nkoko village is served with a poor road network, poor health services, poor educational services, lack of safe and clean drinking water and prolonged land conflicts among others.
In his remarks, the Kasese District Chairperson for the Interfaith Committee, the Rev, Ezra Yongeza Mukonzo called for sustained peace and unity among the residents.
According to him, no one wrote an application for being born Omukonzo, Musongora, Mutooro or and other tribe in Uganda.
In unison, the residents and local leaders in the area agreed to immediately open the boundaries of the pieces of land allocated to each of the categories including cultivators, pastoralists and UPDF.
