By Eusukoit Cuthbert Otim.
SOROTI. The Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magezi has directed Soroti District Land Board board to immediately hand over the land file (documents) to the Soroti city authorities.
Magezi made the directive while officiating as chief guest at the MP Ariko’s thanks giving prayers at St. Kizito Technical Institute Madera, Soroti East Division.
The directive followed a matter raised by Simon Okiring, the city councilor for the eastern division, who also doubles as secretary for works and technical service at the city council.
Okiring told the minister that the city has been denied access to assets ranging from land, structures and above all they had failed to construct a health facility at Acetgwen ward in Soroti City east division due to the failure by the district authorities to hand over the land tittle to the city land board, what he saidretarding the development in the city.
The Local Government Minister, who represented the Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among as a chief guest, warned both the district and the city authorities against the unnecessary sale of public land without getting technical guidance from his office. Recently, Soroti city has been news regarding the unlawful sale of public land, causing rift with the community in defense of what their forefathers left for them.
Attention is on a plot opposite the Lions Club premises along the Old Mbale – Road, which was leased to Mr. Samuel Eneku to establish a washing bay during the tenure of the former Town Clerk Mr. Moses Otimong. Soroti City was still a Municipal Council.
The land in question belongs to the community and was earmarked for the establishment of the health center facility. However, the public recently discovered that the city land board has issued the same piece of land to three other institutions who are all claiming ownership.
In October 2022, disagreement ensued in Arapai Town council when the public ganged against the officials of Soroti city land board and the authorities of former Arapai Sub – County for illegally allocating themselves the public land and selling part of it to the well positioned people.
The matter of Arapai land was brought to the attention of the Woman Member of Parliament Soroti City, Joan Alobo Acom who intervened by conducting a dialogue between the fuming public and the members of the city land board led by their Charman Jorem Opian Obicho.