Africa-Press – Uganda. Leaders of Tororo Municipal Council and Lions Club of Tororo Host Limited are embroiled in a wrangle over the ownership of a children’s leisure park land.
The land in question, on Plot 8-20 on Busia Road, became a matter of concern after reports emerged that the club, a philanthropic organisation, was in the process of acquiring a title in its name, something the council opposes.
The Town Clerk, Mr Paul Omoko, has since written to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, saying the club does not own the land.
“There is evidence that The Lions Club of Tororo Host Limited [Limited by Guarantee] has submitted a file to the ministry of Lands zonal office without a recommendation of the physical planning committee of Tororo Municipal Council, which is irregular. Therefore, the purpose of this communication is to inform you about this irregularity and request your office to dishonour the application from The Lion’s Club of Tororo Host Limited,” the February 12-letter, reads in part.
Speaking to Daily Monitor on Monday, Mr Omoko explained that on September 6, 1966, Tororo Municipal Council granted The Lions Club of Tororo Host Limited permission to develop the children’s park on condition that the partnership and management of the park would be in the hands of Tororo Municipal Council.
Mr Omoko also revealed that the contested land has already been surveyed by the council and it is slated to be developed under the Uganda Support for Municipal Infrastructure Development Programme.
However, the president of Lion’s Club Tororo Chapter, Ms Constance Owor, insists that the land belongs to the club and that the process of titling was initiated after they learnt of several attempts of encroachment by land grabbers.
The Tororo mayor-elect, Mr Kenneth Orono Nyapidi, said his council will prioritise allocating resources to gazette all public land to avert the rampant land grabbing in Tororo Municipal Council.
