Justice Catherine Bamugemereire that leads the Uganda Land Probe:

159 football pitches sitting on 159 acres(64 hectares) of land cannot be hidden like say a small piece of land measuring 100 by 50 meters, Stanley Lwanga, petitioned the Justice Catherine Bamugemereire led land probe commission in May 2018 after his farm was forcibly fenced off by Ms Peninah Karenge Busingye( Mama Kisanja) using a special title on Block 185 Plot 1131. 
The plot in the name of Ms Natasha Karenge was created on land where there are 161 existing titles.

It was one of the most tantalizing mysteries of modern age in Uganda’s land conflicts where a well connected civilian uses soldiers to grab land. It has taken a few months to solve after a joint team of Surveyors unraveled it through the combined efforts led by President Institute of Surveyors.

A special title on Block 185 Plot 1131 was created in Namavundu, Kasangati Town Council in Wakiso District in the names of Peninah Karenge Busigye in 2016 without advertising in media. Today, the Land Probe Commission found out that plot 1131 does not exist. This plot was placed on plot 1130 in Wakiso and there’s no document in Entebbe to support it.

The team of surveyors made a report saying such a plot is not there and should be cancelled. Justice Catherine Bamugemereire said this vice of manufacturing land titles in districts should stop and officials involved be reprimanded.

Accordingly, she issued summons for Ms Peninah Karenge Busingye( Mama Kisanja) to appear before the Land Probe Commission on Wednesday failure the law will take its course. The Secretary Land Probe Commission indicated in a signed letter that on several occasions Ms Peninah had snubbed invitations. 

The Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters directed for boundary opening on various plots of land on Block 185 in Namavundu, to establish the right owner of the contested land.Among the affected include the Auditor General, John Muwanga.
“In order to finish this investigation, we invited all the parties to come with their surveyors so that we have a fresh boundary opening. We want to know whose land passes where,” Justice Bamugemereire said last year.

On paper Ms Natasha Karenge daughter of Ms Peninah Karenge Busingye( Mama Kisanja) owns 159 acres of land but the same cant be located physically, the Commission heard today.

The surveyors for Karenge and Lwanga worked with Wakiso District surveyors and those of the Commission to reopen the boundaries of the dispute land.

Justice Bamugemereire provided security that protected the surveyors to do their work.

It was discovered today that land fraudsters have moved from double titling to triple titling threatening anyone interested in investing land in Uganda.

Lat year Ms Reula Ataro Bogere a registrar told the Commission that double titling was rampant. “we receive many cases of double titling of land and this affects mainly old titles because they are not on the land information system,” 
The registrar advised that government carries out a land audit in the country.

Mr Lwanga, a retired accountant with the Ministry of Health, is one of the 161 households in Namavundu, including Auditor General, Mr John Muwanga, who face eviction by Ms Karenge. 
“My lord, I did not know the magnitude of the problem but now I realise there was a problem,” Ms Ataro said last year.

She acknowledged that when she received an application for a special title, she did not advertise in the newspapers to establish whether or not there were people with interest on the land.

Though Ms Ataro said an advert had been issued, she failed to show the evidence on file.
Records before the Commission show that the special title was issued only nine days after the application was submitted at Wakiso land office.

Though the law requires that the special title is issued in the original names, this particular title was in the names of Ms Natasha Karenge.

The Commission also faulted Ms Ataro for allowing Ms Natasha to undervalue the Namavundu land at Shs30m, fetching a stamp duty of Shs300,000. Ms Natasha Karenge told the Commission that she bought the land from Mr Josephus Rufus Bisase Kisosonkole and the late Tempura Bisase Kisosonkole, both sons of the late Kupuriano Bisase Kisosonkole, at Shs4.77b. Mr Rufus testified before the Commission last week, denying selling land to Ms Karenge.

Asked as to what happens when procedure is not followed to issue a title, Ms Ataro said the special title is deemed illegal and must be recalled and cancelled.

The Land Probe Commission has made a big achievement that will sort many problems in Wakiso.