Under fire the Attorney General, William Byaruhanga (pictured) has spoken out on the Shs30bn Nakasero land saga in which a company he co-owns plotted to sell land to government, thus raising conflict of interest questions.
There are also reports that the land belonged to Nakasero Primary School and circumstances under which Byaruhanga’s Pine Investments Co Limited acquired the land remains unclear.
On Friday, Byaruhanga said his fellow directors took part in the tender to sell the land to government without his knowledge.
He however confirmed being a shareholder in Pine Investments Co Limited alongside Charles Lubega and Henry Lubwama with all directors owning 400 shares each.
Byaruhanga made the remarks while responding to a request by Medard Sseggona Lubega (Busiro East), who asked the Attorney General to explain why he shouldn’t be dragged to Parliament’s Rules, Privileges and Discipline Committee after dipping his hands in a government tender, contrary to rules that bar public servants from having conflict of interest.
“I would like to ask whether it isn’t right for him (Attorney General) to justify to this House why he shouldn’t be taken to rules on seemingly unfair deal that the country. I am aware you asked the PM to investigate and report but this house has history on investigations conducted by Prime Minister and undertaking of Prime Minister which aren’t honoured,” Sseggona.
The Attorney General said that two months ago, when the Ministry of Finance advertised for land for the construction of AfroExim Bank, he was in Netherlands when his colleagues expressed interest in the tender.
He said that as soon as he jetted into the country, he told the Secretary to the Treasury, Keith Muhakanizi to strike his company off the list, since it would amount to conflict of interest.
“There hasn’t been any influence peddling, I understand evaluation of bid is undergoing. As far as I know the evaluation process is still going on and the company in which I am director isn’t a participant,” said Byaruhanga.
The Attorney General’s remarks follow complaint by a whistleblower to Speaker Rebecca Kadaga who alleged that Pine Investments, a company owned by the Attorney General is being fronted to win the contract to sell 3 acres of land to the Ministry of Finance to construct headquarters of Afro Exim bank in Uganda.
According to the dossier, four companies including; Pine Investments Co which offered 2.2 acres near Nakasero Primary School at USD4 million approximately Shs14.6bnn per acre, Vara Enterprise Offered 2.4 acres in Bugolobi with the company settling for $3.1 million equivalent to Shs11.4bn, while a bid proposal for SGL proposed three acres at Kololo Lugogo bypass at USD2.7 million or Shs9.8bn.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda told Parliament that the government is set to investigate circumstances under which the Attorney General, Byaruhanga came to take possession of land, which initially belonged to Nakasero Primary School, the same land he is now attempting to sell back to the government.
He said, “Government is going to investigate these allegations. In the next sitting, the Government will provide a preliminary report about this matter; we take allegations being made seriously especially ownership of the land.”
