Hoima district council has rejected the nominations of two candidates to the district land board committee because they lack academic qualifications.

The duo, Kasoro Annet and Aisha Karamagi, appeared before the council sitting at the district headquarters in Kasingo, Hoima City West Division, with councillors saying some of the nominees lack appropriate academic qualifications, clear places of residence, and constituency imbalance.

Kasoro Annet was cited as being in possession of only a certificate in bookkeeping, a level which cannot qualify her for the noble position.

The second nominee, Karamagi, was cited as lacking a clear place of residence, with some council members saying her clear residence is Hoima city, not the district.

“She spends most of her time staying in Hoima city, not in Hoima district. Therefore, that does not qualify her for that vital position,” councillors said.

According to some councillors, there is a need to have each constituency represented on the committee, noting that Kigorobya constituency lacks a representative.

It was out of this background that Ongirwoth K Felix, district councillor for Bombo sub-county in Kigorobya constituency, requested the need to have every constituency represented on the committee.

Kumakech Geoffrey, councillor for Buseruka sub-county, says having representatives of different places helps in identifying clear information about land applied for titling.

“We expected at least an individual from either Buseruka or Kabale sub-counties to appear on the committee since this helps us know clear information about lands people apply for their titles,” he said.

The rejected nominees were seeking councillors’ support to represent women on the committee.

The same council had, in July, approved Byarubanga Kakoraki Frederick as a chairperson and another three members, including Byenkya Hussein, Onzima Luke Patrick Badra, and Kyotamanya Gerald, substituting the old committee members of Ireeba Yustansi, Kyaterekera Mary Aliba, Byaruhanga Samuel and Nyangoma Alice.

Preliminary report, however, indicates that Aisha Karamagi was also initially a board member whose term is yet to expire.

While addressing the July council, Uthuman Mugisha Mubaraka, the LC5 chairman, said they had over 150 applications for land titles which remained sleeping at the district with no one to work on them.

“Therefore, appointing the district land board would help solve all challenges faced within public sectors, including land cases, by providing an immediate land title acquisition process,” he said.

Recently, the district received about 1,400 free land titles under the Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification (SLAAC) project.

The project remains stalled without implementation since the district lacks the responsible authorities to handle it.