Nabakooba Defends Land Office Staff Transfers as Parliament Questions Delays

Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has defended the mass transfer of personnel across the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development’s 22 zonal offices. According to the minister, the administrative changes were designed to break the undue influence of land brokers and agents who manipulate long-serving officials.

Addressing Parliament, Nabakooba explained that several officers had overstayed their normal transfer cycles at specific stations, making them vulnerable to undue pressure. She clarified that the reshuffle was neither a disciplinary punishment nor a reward, but rather the result of a review conducted by a committee of department heads based on tenure.

Despite the minister’s reassurances, Members of Parliament raised concerns over service delays, particularly affecting property transfers and mortgage processing. Lawmakers like Bbaale County MP Charles Tebandeke criticized the lack of clear criteria for the redeployment. Tebandeke pointed out that some offices became overstaffed while services stalled, and he faulted the ministry for not admitting that operations had effectively been disrupted.

Nabakooba acknowledged that temporary delays occurred due to the revalidation of officers on the National Land Information System (NLIS). However, she maintained that official services were never suspended. She noted that roughly 90 percent of the workforce had already been validated and would regain system access upon reporting to their new duty stations, dismissing claims of substantial financial losses to the government.

Tebandeke and other MPs remained skeptical, urging Parliament’s Committee on Lands to inspect the affected zonal offices directly to evaluate the true extent of the disruption on citizens.

Read more details in the original report on Nile Post.