Museveni summons IGG, lands commission boss
Photo combo (L-R): President Museveni, IGG Beti Kamya and Ms Beatrice Nyakaisiki
What you need to know:
- In February, while Ms Kamya was the minister of Lands, clashed with Ms Byenkya and her ULC staff over a payment of Shs12b from the Land Fund to land beneficiaries.
President Museveni has summoned the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and the interdicted Uganda Lands Commission (ULC) boss to meet him over cases the latter is battling.
IGG Beti Kamya ordered the interdiction of Ms Beatrice Nyakaisiki, who headed the Uganda Land Commission, in November last year over corruption related cases.
The Lands Minister, Ms Judith Nabakooba, interdicted Ms Nyakaisiki, who protested saying the minister did not have powers to do so since she was not her appointing authority.
The President later ordered Ms Nyakaisiki to leave office.
In the October 15 letter, President Museveni said he would like to meet both IGG and Ms Nyakaisiki to discuss their battles.
“I have received your letter of September 19, 2022, informing me of the battles with your sister, the Inspector General of Government Betty Kamya. By copy of this letter, I direct my lawyer Flora Kiconco, to interact with you and Hon. Beti Kamya and, informally, give me a legal opinion. Thereafter, I would like to meet both of you and discuss this letter war,” President Museveni’s letter reads in part.
Ms Nyakaisiki and the ULC secretary, Ms Barbarah Imaryo, are being prosecuted by the IGG in the Anti-Corruption Court. According to the laws, the IGG must act independently.
Mr Faruk Kirunda, the deputy spokesperson of the President, declined to comment on whether the President’s letter would not undermine the independence of the IGG.
“I can’t comment on that. I only tell you that the letter is authentic,” Mr Kirunda said yesterday.
The Daily Monitor could also not get a comment from the IGG about the issue.
The investigations emanate from a range of issues, including the creation of a second land title of Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School, parcelling of government land in Kajjansi on Entebbe Road and management of the Land Fund.
In February, while Ms Kamya was the minister of Lands, clashed with Ms Byenkya and her ULC staff over a payment of Shs12b from the Land Fund to land beneficiaries.
Ms Byenkya while in a parliamentary committee said the minister wanted to use their commission for the release of a supplementary paper, whereas they were not aware of the payments.
She later sought police help to investigate mismanagement and fraud in her Commission. Their work relationship hasn’t improved since the clash in the Parliament.
On October 12, 2021, members of ULC made a resolution accusing Ms Byenkya of misconduct, high-handedness and malice, which they said has affected the teamwork at ULC.
The members accused Ms Byenkya of writing letters to the director of Bank of Uganda and the police to investigate the ULC officers and alleged fraud in payments of the Land Fund without involving them in the discussion that led to her action.
“The members of the commission condemn the actions of the chairperson, Byenkya and disassociate themselves from the said actions since they are not premised on any facts adduced to the members of the Commission or the secretary,” a letter signed by all the ULC members reads in part.
However, the Criminal Investigations Directorate continued with the investigations and has since made several arrests and seizure of documents in regard to the payments to ghost land claimants.
