IGANGA RDC DIRECTS TOWN CLERK, CAO TO PRODUCE ALL GOVERNMENT LAND TITLES FOR VERIFICATION

By Barasa Richard

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Iganga, Mr. Eric Sewandiji, has directed the Town Clerk and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to produce all land titles and other relevant ownership documents relating to government land under their respective jurisdictions for verification.

The directive is part of an ongoing administrative and investigative process aimed at establishing the ownership, status, boundaries and documentation of public land in Iganga District amid concerns over alleged illegal surveying, titling, encroachment and disposal of government property.

According to the RDC, the verification exercise is intended to reconcile government records with existing land titles and physical boundaries, identify any discrepancies and safeguard land reserved for public services and government activities.

RDC INSPECTS IGANGA MUNICIPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL LAND As part of the exercise, the RDC has joined surveyors in inspecting government land within Iganga Municipality, including land belonging to Iganga Municipal Primary School.

The inspection is intended to establish the original boundaries of the school land and determine whether there has been any encroachment or alteration of its boundaries. Preliminary observations from the field exercise have raised concerns that portions of land associated with the municipal school may have been occupied or otherwise claimed by private interests. However, the ownership status and circumstances surrounding any such claims remain subject to verification by the relevant authorities.

Surveyors are expected to compare physical boundaries on the ground with official survey records, government land registers, agreements and existing titles. The verification will also assist authorities in determining whether any privately held titles overlap with land reserved for government institutions and public service delivery.

MUNICIPAL LAND RECORDS UNDER INVESTIGATION The wider land verification exercise is taking place alongside investigations concerning Mr. Kyagaba Julious, the Iganga Municipal Council Registrar, following allegations regarding the theft or disappearance of land agreements and other documents belonging to Iganga Municipal Council.

Police, in coordination with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Ministry of Lands, are investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged disappearance of the documents and whether any of them may have been used in land-related transactions. The investigations are also intended to establish the extent of any suspected irregularities, recover relevant municipal records and determine whether other individuals may have been involved.

All persons implicated in the investigations remain subject to due process, and any liability will be determined through the appropriate legal procedures.

WIDER GOVERNMENT LAND AUDIT The RDC's directive has expanded the focus to government land across the district, placing greater emphasis on proper documentation, accountability and protection of public assets. The Town Clerk and CAO are expected to facilitate access to land titles, survey records, agreements and other documentation required for the verification exercise.

Authorities will compare documentary records with physical boundaries on the ground to establish whether government land has been properly documented and whether any portions have allegedly been transferred, titled or encroached upon without lawful authority.

The exercise may also identify additional cases requiring further administrative or criminal investigation where discrepancies are established.

NAKALAMA LAND CASE The latest development follows the arrest of several suspects in connection with the alleged illegal acquisition and sale of approximately 4.45 acres of land belonging to Nakalama Sub-County.

Among those arrested is Iganga District Physical Planner Ibanda Henry, whose arrest formed part of police investigations into the disputed land transaction. Police allege that the land was fraudulently processed into a private title and subsequently sold for between Shs130 million and Shs140 million.

The suspects in the Nakalama case have since appeared before court and were remanded until 15 September 2026 as investigations continue. The allegations remain subject to determination through the judicial process.

POLICE CALL FOR INFORMATION ON PUBLIC LAND Regional Police Spokesperson ASP Michael Kasadha has condemned alleged acts of corruption, abuse of office and unlawful dealings involving public resources, particularly government land intended for public service delivery.

Kasadha has encouraged members of the public with information concerning suspected public land grabbing or fraudulent land transactions to report to the nearest police station or through established confidential reporting channels. “We call upon any member of the public with information regarding similar cases of public land grabbing in the region to share it with the nearest police station or through our confidential channels,” Kasadha said. The ongoing verification exercise is expected to provide authorities with a clearer picture of the status of government land in Iganga and establish whether any public property has been affected by irregular transactions.

The exercise will also help strengthen land records management and accountability within government institutions. As surveyors and investigators continue examining land records, titles and physical boundaries, authorities are expected to establish the lawful ownership of disputed parcels and take appropriate administrative or legal action where irregularities are confirmed.