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Naguru land: MPs asking for bribes risk detention
Uganda Land Commission acting secretary Andrew Nyumba takes oath while appearing before Parliament’s committee investigating the Nakawa-Naguru land at Parliament on May 3, 2022. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The chairperson of the committee inquiring into issues regarding the highly contested Nakawa-Naguru has said some MPs have been asking for bribes from witnesses.
The chairperson of the Ad hoc committee inquiring into all issues regarding the highly contested Nakawa-Naguru estate, Mr Dan Kimosho, has warned that any of his members found soliciting bribes from witnesses will be arrested.
Without naming specific members, Mr Kimosho indicated that ‘some people’ had been approaching some of the witnesses who have so far interfaced with the said committee demanding that they be given bribes as a way of influencing a positive outcome from the committee.
“I want to be on record for making this statement clearly before the cameras. I have heard incidents of people approaching those who have appeared before this committee as witnesses soliciting money,” Mr Kimosho said.
He added: “I even understand some people were sent messages by someone who is allegedly my PA [Personal Assistant].Certainly, we shall arrest them because the messages at least have the telephone number.”
As he opened proceedings of the session yesterday, Mr Kimosho issued a stern warning to all his members to desist from the act, insisting that they will be exposed once traced and arrested.
“Whoever deals with anyone whether outside or internally does it at their own risk and should not expect any favour from this committee,” Mr Kimosho said.
He added: “I thought I should make that very clear to all of us here so that we are able to tell all others [MPs] that are not here.”
The Kimosho-led committee was instituted by the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, to look into the processes of how transactions on the Nakawa-Naguru land were handled by accommodating input from all persons, parties and government ministries, departments and agencies.
The committee has since grilled, among others, senior government officials, including former Lands minister Beti Kamya, State Minister for Lands in-charge of Housing Persis Namuganza, investors and tenants over the same matter.
In the course of investigations, Ms Kamya and Ms Namuganza were last week pressed for allegedly using their positions to push for the allocations of land to some investors.
Specific examples included the demand to establish circumstances under which investors of; Anil Damani, Seven Hills and Internal Medicines Virginia were allocated land at the Nakawa-Naguru estate.
The committee is, therefore, expected to expedite findings into the report and thereafter table the outcomes to the House.
To this end, Mr Kimosho revealed in yesterday’s session that his team intends to conclude proceedings tomorrow [Thursday] and thereafter compile the outcome of the probe and, therefore, make recommendations to the same.
This is the second time the same matter is being investigated by Parliament. The first probe was done by the Parliamentary Committee on Physical and Infrastructure under the 10th Parliament and in May 2021, tabled its findings.
In the current investigation, the committee has severally pressed the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) administration to avail all documentation relating to all transactions pertaining to the said land. In at least two sessions, the ULC acting secretary, Mr Andrew Nyumba, was compelled to make submissions after taking oath.
“I want to be on record for making this statement clearly before the cameras. I have heard incidents of people approaching those who have appeared before this committee as witnesses soliciting money,” Dan Kimosho, chairperson of the committee.
