Following some complaints of rampant loss of properties to unscrupulous and unlicensed money lenders in Kikuube, the district authorities have directed village authorities not to approve the activity through stamping on documents for such transactions.
This follows a number of victims approaching their political leaders for intervention saying they have lost pieces of land and houses among other assets to dishonest financiers after failing to meet their obligations.
Reports indicate that such fraudulent cases are more evident in Kigaaya, Mabaale and Kakooge in Buhimba town council.
Ms Agnes Tuhaise Bagada, one of the victims says a money lender evicted her from a piece of land though she had completed servicing her Shs500,000-loan of Shs150,000 interest rate per on the dot.
She says in spite of settling the debt and constant urges to hand her the agreement, the money lender guilefully refused to do needful.
Ms Bagada says later her friend told her how the money lender told her that the victim could not own land in a town council.
This took place in Buhimba town council in 2019.
The district woman councillor for Buhimba town council, Susan Kabasindi, says her office is awash with complaints of loss of properties to money lenders with the victims seeking political intervention.
She says after her systematic study on the root of the incidents, she concluded that village chairpersons were responsible since they approved the transactions without fathoming the bottom line.
The politician says there is need to sensitise village chairpersons about the apt use of stamps so they do not cause anxiety in the district.
Christopher Nkalu, the Kikuube District Speaker, notes that mainly women have fallen an easy prey to the money lenders on conjecture that they cannot weather battling cases in courts of law.
The Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Amlan Tumusiime, says the district authorities have received numerous land related cases with village chairpersons purportedly being at the epicentre of connivance with money lenders leading to wrangles.
He says many of the victims accuse the chairpersons of allegedly conniving with money lenders giving them fake stamps that people have solved their land after getting money problems.
Eventually, the RDC suspended all village council leaders from stamping and signing on documents involving dishonest money lenders, warning that culprits will be apprehended and charged in courts of law.
However, this website could not get Mr Kagoma’s comment.
At least six pieces of land including houses have been returned to their owners who lost them to money lenders more than three years ago. These pieces of land are in Kigaaya, Kakooge and Mabaale in Buhimba town council.
