The official launch of the Land Management Centre in Matugga on Thursday was overshadowed by explosive against the Presidential Taskforce on Land Matters and Environment, with senior government officials and local leaders accusing individuals operating under the office of Brig. Gen. Moses Lukyamuzi of intimidation, abductions, and forcing landowners to surrender their property.
The accusations were led by the Minister for Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, who questioned whether the taskforce was still serving its intended purpose of protecting citizens and resolving land disputes.
“The office was established to solve land conflicts and restore justice to victims,” the minister said. “Instead, people claiming to be from the taskforce are allegedly abducting citizens and coercing them into surrendering their land.”
Hon. Baluma said that he was personally affected by the alleged actions of the group. He told participants that after bulling land from Equity Bank in Jinja, one of his workers was a abducted by individuals he associated with the task force.
According to the minister, the worker was only released after he made several telephone calls to Brig. Gen. Lukyamuzi.
The minister also alleged that the suspected operatives travel in drone vehicles and have created fear among communities involved in land disputes.
His concerns were echoed by the Mayor of Gombe Municipality, Ms. Mbabazi Hawau Nyindo, who claimed that groups al linked to Brig. Gen. Lukyamuzi’s office continue to move around Wakiso and surrounding districts intimidating residents involved in land conflicts.
She said that the operatives pressure landowners into surrendering their land instead of allowing disputes to be resolved through lawful channels.
These discussions dominated during the launch of the Land Management Centre, an initiative established under the mentorship of Gen. Salim Saleh to strengthen mediation and promote peaceful settlement of land disputes across Uganda.
The centre is headed by Prof. John Kigula and his team, who say it will focus on mediation, dialogue, and legal guidance to reduce the growing number of land conflicts that have overwhelmed courts across the country.
Speaking at the function, leaders noted that Wakiso District remains one of Uganda’s most affected areas by land disputes. They attributed the situation to failed mediation between conflicting parties, delays in court proceedings, fraudulent land transactions, and the slow implementation of court judgments.
They expressed optimism that the new centre would provide a faster and less confrontational avenue for resolving disputes while easing pressure on the courts.
The event attracted a number of senior government officials and stakeholders. Hon. Judith Nabakooba represented Gen. Salim Saleh as the Guest of Honour, the Minister for Local Government, Hon. Balaama Barugahara Ateenyi, Uganda Land Commissioner Mr. Baker Mugaino, cultural leaders, local government officials, legal practitioners, and members of the public also attended.
Speakers called for greater accountability in the handling of land disputes, urging government agencies, the judiciary, and local leaders to work together to protect citizens’ land rights and ensure that disputes are resolved through lawful, transparent, and peaceful means.
The launch of the Land Management Centre comes at a time when Uganda continues to grapple with rising land conflicts, particularly in the central region, where disputes over ownership, boundaries, inheritance, and illegal evictions have become increasingly common.
As the new centre begins its work, stakeholders expressed hope that mediation, rather than confrontation, will become the preferred path toward resolving Uganda’s long-standing land challenges.
