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China-Africa Trade Information Service
info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Photo by:busiweek.com
Kampala, Uganda — The Executive Director of Uganda Investment Authority Jolly Kaguhangire has asked the people of Bunyoro in western Uganda to support government efforts to develop the country by stopping non-citizens from settling on government land and expect compensation.
She also blamed Critical Mass Group (CMG) Ltd for underutilizing the land allocated to them hence resulting into the growing influx of encroachers on government land by foreigners whose origins are not clear.
"A growing number of people in the 3 sub counties are currently settled on the 20sq miles land we allocated to 2 Investors (Critical Mass Growth Ltd and Capital Ventures ltd) for development," said Kaguhangire during a meeting that was held at Masindi District Headquarters recently .
She engaged local leaders of Kimengo, Mabati and Kiryana sub counties and the CMG investors to get a common ground for airing out their concerns affecting both the locals and the investor.
Faith Njeru, the General Manager of CMG informed UIA that they have held several meetings with the local leaders to discuss how best encroachers can be handled but nothing has been done to secure CMG land.
She also informed UIA officials that encroachers dismantled their fence, destroyed property and stole their cows.
The Resident District Commissioner of Masindi District Godfrey Nyakahuma informed UIA officials that that specific piece of land was resulting into insecurity for Uganda because of underutilization by the investor.
"There is no any activity on the land apart from hiring it for charcoal burning and temporary crop growing. We as leaders felt that UIA as the landlord should come up with a possible way forward to ensure that the land is put to full utilization by the investor," said Nyakahuma.
The RDC said there is an ongoing profiling of people settled on this land to get a clear distinction between the foreigners and natives since CMG managers had hired it to people to graze animals and grow crops way back in 2015.
Jolly requested the local leaders to engage encroachers on CMG land to calmly vacate and pave way for development by the end of this year.
Uganda Investment Authority is committed to work with the local leaders to ensure peaceful vacation of encroachers on the land.
