A land dispute between the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) and the Jinja Regional Referral Hospital has garnered attention. The controversy revolves around four acres of land, situated on Clive Road West (Kampala Road), which encompasses the Jinja cemetery. The Principal Administrator of the hospital, Mr. Herbert Ssemakula, handed over land records to State Minister for Lands, Mr. Sam Mayanja, for verification of ownership.
During a meeting with Muslim leadership in Jinja, Minister Mayanja expressed support for the UMSC in their battle for ownership of the land. He emphasized that no Land Board possesses the authority to allocate land belonging to individuals or entities like the UMSC.
Mayanja cited legal provisions, including Section 59(1) a of the Land Act, which stipulates that when land is occupied, it cannot be distributed by a Land Board or Commission. He directed the cancellation of all illegal titles on the Muslim land and ordered the Uganda Land Commission to process a land title for the Muslim community.
Furthermore, Minister Mayanja declared the land as belonging to the Muslims and announced plans for surveying and mapping to facilitate the issuance of a title in the names of the Muslim community. He dismissed claims of ownership by the hospital, labeling their documents as fake.
Mr. Ssemakula, representing the hospital, revealed that land ownership disputes date back to October 2009, with resolution efforts ongoing until April 2022. Despite the hospital’s intentions to redevelop the land for a blood bank and Cancer Institute, Minister Mayanja’s intervention supports the Muslim community’s claim.
UMSC national chairperson, Mr. Muhammad Lubega Kisambira, reaffirmed the historical ownership of the land by Muslims since 1927. He highlighted previous conflicts over land grabbing and subsequent cancellations of titles. Moving forward, the UMSC plans to utilize part of the land for burials and collaborate with Jinja City leaders on socio-economic projects.
