COMMITTEE ON PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.The committee is still receiving witnesses about the land issues in kasokoso, kiganda and Banda B1 (acholi quarters). Today the committee met the area MPs that is:-Hon.Seninde Rosemary who presented this petition, Hon. Ssemujju Nganda and Hon.Ruhinda Fred. Below is a summary of their presentations:HON.SSEMUJJU NGANDA:When we talk of Kasokoso, we are talking about two most populous villages in my constituency under kireka parish and a third village in nakawa division. These are kasokoso, kiganda and Banda B1 popularly known as acholi quarters. These villages are homes to an estimated 50,000 people who live in permanent and semi-permanent houses.Verifiable records show that Asians leased this land from the colonial administration around 1930 for farming under the name of mengo planters. The lease was for 90 years and another for 49 years. These mengo planters later became kireka estates.It is said kireka estate sub-leased this land estimated to be 600 acres to national housing (NH) a government enterprise in 1968. National Housing was eventually privatized with government retaining 51% shares and Libyans 49%.National Housing ferried policemen in kasokoso when it attempted to open boundaries without following procedures. The procedure involves consulting LC1 chairmen. The policemen commanded by Kampala east RPC MS Agaba and Kira DPC Nkulega caused mayhem in the area. They shot at our people. We now have more than 12 residents who have been permanently disabled.National Housing should halt any development on this land until its status has been fully established and the true owner revealed. National Housing should compensate residents who have been maimed by police and for property destroyed during its illegal and forceful attempt to take over the land.

HON.SENINDE ROSEMARY:National Housing Corporation was never known to these people who lived happily on that land until in October 2013 when they woke up only to find police men in the area protecting those who were to open boundaries. This caused fear among the residents who put up resistance. If national housing was the genuine land lord, why was it using force instead of the right procedure provided in the land act.We met the ministers concerned on several occasions but all in vain until I wrote officially to the president requesting him to intervene since the minister had written to him convincing him and justifying their cause, although I did not receive a reply.After failing in all this, we led our people to petition parliament which we thought would give these desperate Ugandans a listening ear and look into their concerns.When you consider the status and income level of the majority of the people living in kasokoso, can they afford the mortgage NHC is talking about? Why is it that the people in the houses in namuwongo were purchased by the rich and not the poor whose standards were intended to be improved by NHC, and where are they?We appreciate development as leaders but development must be in adherence to the rule of law and for the common good. The government through the ministry of lands, housing and urban development should sensitize Ugandans on land laws and the peoples rights intensively compared to how the ministry of health sensitized people on HIV/AIDS because many cases of land conflicts are based on ignorance of the laws.Most of our people are low income earners who cannot afford legal services. I request parliament to urge government to provide funding for legal aid services to enable the poor Ugandans access justice.Parliament should consider the concerns of the residents of kasokoso and redress the controversy and conflict between the people and NHC which is a government business.

HON.RUHINDI FRED:Part of this land is in nakawa division and the other in wakiso district. The challenge we have is where the boundaries begin and end. Acholi quarters have been in existence for a very long time, Ive heard of acholi quarters since I joined politics in 1980.If these people are on anyones land title, they should be treated as bonifide tenants because most of them have been on this land for more than 30 years. I never heard of national housing when people were building on this land. Where were they all this while? Why come now in 2013? I received communications from national housing about the meetings but didnt know it was a serious matter. Finally the ministry of lands called for a meeting unfortunately I was traveling on that day, I asked them to postpone which they refused to do.I support the project but what I disagree with is the manner of execution of this project. The first thing to do is sensitize the people about this project. If people can accept use the willing buyer-willing seller terms.In the last meeting with national housing, I asked for concrete proof about the land title which I havent seen up to now. Why is this speed now, why didnt they enclose the area or stop the people from building there? Are they the ones going to do this project? Is the pressure coming from somewhere else? If people are to go, where do they go and at what terms? Let us accept the project but bring the people on board.