Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has faulted Management of Law Development Centre for negligence, after some of its staff portioned and sold off its prime land worth 4.5acres and valued at around UGX10Bn.
The land in question is located in the middle of the city and current occupants are now demanding over Shs2.5Bn in compensation.
The criticism was made by Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala County) during an impromptu visit to the contested land in Makerere-Kampala where some occupants attested that they were sold land by a one Abdul Kaggwa staff at LDC and some even made agreements with the Local Council officials in the area.
“Of course we have seen the negligence by LDC, it acquired land without any occupants, but its own staff used this opportunity and started selling off the land and the first person that sold the land ran away and another group came on board and also sold the same land to different people. The land is large about 4.5acres, it is prime land located in the middle of the City,” remarked Kivumbi.
He added, “As a committee, we are going to hold special meetings and discuss how this land will be rescued but also ensure that the residents currently occupied the land aren’t unfairly treated. But imagine having such a precious piece of land and you look on as people illegally occupy the land.
Joweria Namukose, resident in Mulimila Zone and one of the occupants on the contested land informed the Committee that in 2019, residents who had built houses on the land demanded compensation of Shs600M, and this amount was reached upon after the residents were counted and promised to be compensated within six months in order to vacate the land and despite the period elapsing, the earlier compensatory amount has since increased, while new occupants have come on board.
She noted, “Someone came and counted us, and promised that they would compensate us and we were told that after 6months, if you aren’t paid, continue with your life and if that time elapses, we shall return and count you guys again and after those six months, some people left while others went on to expand their homes. So, the compensation promised the last time we were counted has since changed because initially, some people had one house, but these have since expanded and built two to three more houses, while some residents are new as they bought the land from former occupants.”
However, another resident asked the Committee not to fall for the argument that most of the occupants weren’t aware that the land belonged to LDC, as some paid between UGX200,000 or UGX300,000 as a token of appreciation to the Local Council officials.
“They all know that the land belongs to Law Development Centre. However, there are people who aren’t aware that the land belongs to Law Development Centre and no one bothered to warn them. So, these ones have gone ahead to buy and the Local Council officials have struck agreements with these unsuspecting individuals, so some of them bought the land without knowing who the owner was, but no one warned them. Some people are innocent, not everyone is aware that the land belongs to LDC; all these Local Council officials shouldn’t deny the fraud they took part in, they are aware of their actions,” said Justus Wenani.
