UMSC lawyer counsels Muslims on land management
Aug 29, 2006
THE Lawyer who Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) used in drafting its land lease agreements with Hassan Basajjabalaba, has advised UMSC to borrow a leaf from the Anglican and Catholic churches on how to manage their properties.
By Cyprian Musoke
THE Lawyer who Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) used in drafting its land lease agreements with Hassan Basajjabalaba, has advised UMSC to borrow a leaf from the Anglican and Catholic churches on how to manage their properties.
Appearing before the commission probing the sale of Muslim land to city businessman basajjabalaba on Friday, Mohammed Mbabazi said instead of UMSC headquarters monopolising ownership of all land, ownership should be decentralised to the districts.
He said UMSC had vast lands in many districts whose status it did not know and the authorities in those districts were not mandated to oversee it, since the headquarters manages all properties.
He said this tempts unscrupulous elements to take advantage of the laxity in management.
“There are other associations around town, like the Catholic church and Protestant church which own vast lands. How do they manage? They decentralise, and appoint trustees.
“You find that at every place, in every district, there are trustees on the spot who have stake on the land, so no one can take advantage to claim it.
“But for UMSC you find properties in Hoima, Mbale, Arua and Kabale which UMSC does not know about. The way forward is to involve stakeholders at the grassroots. If you are going to sit at the headquarters and say you own all the properties you will not manage,†he said.
He said UMSC should set up a proper estates department to coordinate their land management.
THE Lawyer who Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) used in drafting its land lease agreements with Hassan Basajjabalaba, has advised UMSC to borrow a leaf from the Anglican and Catholic churches on how to manage their properties.
Appearing before the commission probing the sale of Muslim land to city businessman basajjabalaba on Friday, Mohammed Mbabazi said instead of UMSC headquarters monopolising ownership of all land, ownership should be decentralised to the districts.
He said UMSC had vast lands in many districts whose status it did not know and the authorities in those districts were not mandated to oversee it, since the headquarters manages all properties.
He said this tempts unscrupulous elements to take advantage of the laxity in management.
“There are other associations around town, like the Catholic church and Protestant church which own vast lands. How do they manage? They decentralise, and appoint trustees.
“You find that at every place, in every district, there are trustees on the spot who have stake on the land, so no one can take advantage to claim it.
“But for UMSC you find properties in Hoima, Mbale, Arua and Kabale which UMSC does not know about. The way forward is to involve stakeholders at the grassroots. If you are going to sit at the headquarters and say you own all the properties you will not manage,†he said.
He said UMSC should set up a proper estates department to coordinate their land management.