As Kabale Municipality prepares to transition to city status, Sheikh Kassim Kamugisha, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Nakawa Division in Kampala, has called on the public to prioritize acquiring land titles to safeguard their properties.
Speaking at the ordination ceremony at Our Lady of Good Shepherd, Rushoroza Cathedral, Sheikh Kamugisha emphasized the urgent need for landowners to secure their land through the Freehold system before Kabale attains city status. He warned that the transition would bring new policies, making it even more crucial to have legal ownership documented.
“You might find that the majority of us here have land without titles, leaving it vulnerable to land grabbers,” Sheikh Kamugisha cautioned. “Everyone here must be aware that there are land grabbers out there, ready to seize any land they come across.”
The ceremony, which marked the ordination of three deacons into the priesthood and four seminarians into the diaconate, was presided over by Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira, the Bishop of Kabale Diocese. The newly ordained priests include Rev. Fr. Bruno Niyonzima, Rev. Fr. Walter Harem’Imana, and Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Uwiringiyimana, while the new deacons are Dn. Patrick Atuzarirwe, Dn. Mark Aheisibwe, Dn. Onesmus Ahabwe, and Dn. Stephen Niwandinda.
Sheikh Kamugisha also took the opportunity to advise the newly ordained clergy to focus not only on preaching the Gospel but also on spreading the message of development within their communities.
The event was graced by several prominent figures, including Hon. Henry Musasizi Ariganyira, State Minister for Finance, Planning, and Economic Development in charge of General Duties, and Hon. Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke, State Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, who is also the Kisoro District Woman Member of Parliament. Numerous Members of Parliament from the Kigezi region, which forms part of Kabale Catholic Diocese, were also in attendance.
As Kabale gears up for its city status, the message from Sheikh Kamugisha serves as a timely reminder for residents to secure their land rights and prepare for the changes that lie ahead.
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