Prime
ULC on the spot over Nakawa-Naguru land
The Uganda Land Commission (ULC) acting chairperson, Prof Nyeko Pen-Mogi, takes oath while appearing before the Nakawa-Naguru probe committee at Parliament on March 14, 2022. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- According to the list that was before the committee, 25 of the 82.54 acres were allocated on presidential directives, while the rest was allocated through the Ministry of Lands and ULC.
Members of Parliament investigating the land at the former Nakawa-Naguru Housing Estate were yesterday irked to learn that the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) did not advertise before giving out land to 15 allocatees.
Officials from the ULC led by the acting chairperson, Prof Nyeko Pen-Mogi, appeared before the Ad hoc Committee chaired by Kazo County MP, Mr Dan Kimosho, that is inquiring into the process of distribution of land totalling 82.54 acres to different investors.
The puzzle before the lawmakers is how public land was allocated to individuals and private companies eventually defeating the initial purpose of building a satellite city, a project that had been handed over to Opec Prime Properties in 2007.
Government in 2011 evicted more than 20,000 tenants to pave way for the construction of the satellite city.
“So about these 15 allocatees we see on this list, what was the procedure? How come we did not see any advert in that regard?” the Bugiri Municipality MP, Mr Asuman Basalirwa, asked.
Prof Pen-Mogi said different individuals identified their land of interest and then applied for it, which they [commission] would in turn go to the particular site to assess then approve.
When pressed harder, he told MPs that the Commission issued an internal advert and various individuals and companies applied.
The MPs wondered how the different investors learnt about an internal advert and questioned whether ULC followed the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act.
The inconsistency in answering the questions prompted the MPs to subject the Commission officials to take oath before proceeding further.
“The Commission does not have a government land inventory, we simply check and verify land that has been identified,” Mr Pen-Mogi said.
According to the list that was before the committee, 25 of the 82.54 acres were allocated on presidential directives, while the rest was allocated through the Ministry of Lands and ULC. Besides the presidential allocation, 46.21 acres were allocated to individuals and companies, 3.61 for access roads, road reserves (2.45) and Ntinda wholesalers (2).
However, during the meeting, Mr Andrew Nyumba, the acting secretary of ULC, said the Commission on January 13, revised earlier allocations of the land and distributed 25 acres to the Internal Medicine of Virginia, 10 acres to the Uganda Heart Institute, KCCA Nakawa Division offices ( 3.09 acres), Naguru Infant Primary School (one acre), St Peters Church of Uganda (1.05 acres) and Ntinda Whole Sellers (2 acres).
He said this was in line with President Museveni’s directive.
Mr Nyumba further said another 38 acres were allotted to investors.
These include Anil Damani (3 acres), Arab Oil Supplies and Exploration Limited (4 acres), Dashen (U) Limited (3 acres), Dembe Enterprises Limited (3 acres), Dominion Partners Limited and EACOM International Limited got one acre each, among others.
Mr Nyumba said after the distribution, the Commission received an assessment of premium and ground rent from the Chief Government Valuer indicating what each of the allocatees was supposed to pay, and the total premium came to Shs20.451 billion while ground rent totalled Shs1.22 billion.
“...Some of the allocatees were given waivers by the Minister of Lands and with this waiver they were meant to pay Shs20,000 for each acre, per annum. So now the realised collections from the allocations are Shs10.28 billion from premium and Shs468 million from ground rent,” he said.
Mr Nyumba, who joined the Commission in January, also said he did not get a copy of the said internal advert on file.
“I cannot confirm or deny whether there was an advertisement. I have not seen that advert on file,” he said.
But even when Prof Nyeko insisted that the Commission had agreed to advertise, he later said he does not know whether the advert was made.
Applicant and number of acres
Internal Medicine of Virginia 15
Uganda Heart Institute 10
OPEC Prime & other third parties 8.19
Road reserves 2.45
Access roads 3.61
KCCA Nakawa Division offices 3.09
Naguru Infant Primary School 1
St Peters Church of Uganda 1.18
Ntinda Whole sellers 2
Anil Damani 3
Arab Oil Supplies & Exploration Ltd 4
Dashen (U) Ltd 3
Dembe Enterprises Ltd 3
Dominion Partners Ltd 1
EACOM International Ltd 0.3
Fakhruddin Properties Ltd 1.42
Wash & Wills Country 0.85
Gash Logistics Ltd 0.85
Master Links Uganda Ltd 3
Meera Investments Ltd 3
Phaneroo Ministries Ltd 4
RUDRA hardware Tools Ltd 4
Seven Hills apartment Ltd 4
Global Paper Products Ltd 0.6
Total 82.54
