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The Government through the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi has issued a stern warning on the persistent challenge of land wrangles.
Such wrangles could be a major impediment to the government’s development efforts such as the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project.
The minister was addressing employees of National Agricultural Research Laboratories in Kawanda and members of the Kiyindi Women Fish Processors Association in Buikwe District.
Both institutions recently received substantial funding—Shs 4.2 billion for Kawanda and Shs 300 million for Kiyindi—as part of the GROW Project’s efforts to upgrade common user facilities.
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She stressed that ongoing disputes over land ownership and usage continue to hamper key government initiatives such as GROW.
“People cannot develop or benefit from programmes like GROW if there are land wrangles. You are not going to invest this money in heaven. You have to invest it on land,” she said.
Legal Protections for Tenants
Minister Amongi reminded leaders about the laws in place designed to protect tenants, specifically Bibanja holders, from unlawful eviction.
She said the success of projects like GROW depends heavily on the ability of beneficiaries to use their land without fear of losing it.
“We have laws that protect the tenants from eviction. These were put in place to safeguard vulnerable groups from land conflicts.”
Call to Action for District Leaders and RDCs
To ensure these laws are upheld, Minister Amongi called on district leaders, including Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), to take an active role in enforcing them. She urged local authorities to protect the interests of their communities and resolve land disputes swiftly to pave the way for sustainable development.
“I therefore call on the district leaders including the RDCs to enforce these laws and protect our people if this programme is to be a success,” she said.
As the government continues to support women-owned businesses through funding, training, and certification, addressing land wrangles remains a vital step towards unlocking the full potential of economic empowerment programmes in Uganda.