PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

The committee chaired by Hon.Biraaro on 3rd /04/2014 met officials from Uganda Investment Authority about a petition of the residents of the 2,553 residents of Kabeho LC1, kinoni Booma LC1, Kyattuba B LC1 and Bigaaga LC1 of Bulongo parish, Ntutsi sub-county, Lwemiyaga County in Sembabule district. The petitioners are being evicted from a piece of land on plot 5. Block 11 (LRV 995 Folio 5) measuring 1185.9 hectares (2,930 acres) registered in the names of Uganda Investment Authority who sold it to Abeeki enterprise ltd. Below is a summary of the presentation by Uganda Investment Authority.

The mid 1990s a number of potential foreign investors were requesting for agricultural land which was not readily available. The existing law and investment code 1991 then barred them from engaging in agricultural production except after cabinet clearance. Even with cabinet clearance, the land ownership remained in the hands of Ugandans (local partner). To ease access to land for agricultural production, the UIA management decided to initiate acquisition of suitable land for investors. This is how UIA identified land in Sembabule and other agricultural lands in Uganda like Masindi, Mubende.

In 1997, UIA bought the land from Ntambara and Katongole at UGX 122,500,000/= who had bought the land from the then registered proprietors M/S Gordon Muheirwe, Hannington Twinomujuni and Nelson Nuwamanya. At the time of the sale of this land to UIA they had not transferred it into their names. After the sale no one came up complaining that Katongole and Ntambara were not the legitimate owners of the land.

At the time of purchase, there were bona fide occupants on the land. This was also confirmed by the chief government valuer’s report. However more people started invading this land for grazing and some even started growing crops on the land, some of these squatters were chased away from the forest reserve.

The presence of squatters and bona fide occupants made this land un attractive to potential investors hence the UIA board made a decision to dispose of this land to any willing buyer on “as is” basis in the hope that the private company or person would be able to handle the issue of bona fide occupants and other squatters coming onto the land.

UIA advertised this land in the news papers and even the care takers of this land were informed about this sale. The purpose of communicating to the caretakers was to inform all those that would be interested to buy this land to bid for it. Therefore the LC 111 chairman responded to the advert and he and associates won the bid.

In 2007, UIA sold the land to Abeeki at UGX 405,000,000/=. Abeeki paid UGX 205,000,000/= as part payment. There was no connivance and conflict of interest. UIA tried possible ways to recover the outstanding balance from Abeeki. UIA even tried to use the services of external lawyers (M/S Nangwala, Rezida & Co. Advocates) to recover the money. Finally Abeeki paid the balance UGX 200,000,000/= in 2013.