By Josephine Maseruka

OFFICIALS of the Uganda Land Commission were yesterday tasked to give details of a land transaction in which the Toro Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa, was paid sh4.5b.

The commission led by its secretary, Mubbala Kintu, was initially reluctant to divulge information until MPs on the public accounts committee proposed that the Police takes over the matter.

The commission team was appearing before the MPs to respond to queries raised by the Auditor General’s 2007/08 and 2008/09 financial reports.

Mubbala said the commission did not participate in the land acquisition. “The transaction was handled by the lands ministry,” he said.

The enraged MPs, led by Peter Mutuuluza (NRM), demanded details, arguing that the matter involved a lot of public funds.

Paul Iduke, an official from the land commission, explained that the sh4.5b was paid to “the Queen Mother for land to settle squatters.”

Iduke added that the transaction was made in January 2006 before the commission was made autonomous.

Mutuluuza accused the Government of practising double standards, saying it acquired land for a few tenants in western Uganda, yet many tenants continue to be evicted in Buganda. “The Land Fund must be applied equally across the country.”