Mulago, three other hospitals’ land grabbed

A controversial land lease at Mulago National Referral Hospital has exposed a wider crisis of hospital land grabbing across the country, with similar cases reported in Jinja, Gomba and Entebbe.

A sh6b prime plot at Mulago was allegedly leased to private individuals, including a top city businessman in unclear circumstances, prompting State House’s Health Monitoring Unit (HMU) to demand an immediate halt to all transactions.

Authorities now warn that public hospitals are at risk of losing vital land to private developers nationwide.

Mulago land controversy

The unit has raised a red flag over the ownership and protection of Plot 42, North Kitante Road, Kampala, originally designated for Mulago National Referral Hospital.

A copy of a letter seen by New Vision shows that the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) under unclear circumstances issued a leasehold title to private individuals, among them a top city businessman, Rutare Rutahigwa. However, Rutahigwa denied owning the land when contacted via telephone on Sunday.

“It is not true that I own the said land. People wanted to sell the said land to me and later I found out that It belonged to Mulago — and I left it,” he told New Vision via telephone.

However, a copy of the certificate of title seen by New Vision indicates that Rutahigwa was issued the property on November 28, last year at 4:15pm, with annual ground rent for sh3m per annum with effect from January 1, last year — and the property restricted to commercial use only.

“All that piece of land, delineated and edged in red on the deed plan annexed hereto, containing an area of approximately 0.2450ha and situated at Plot 42, North Kitante Road in Kampala city.

The term commences from the 1st day of January last year for a duration of five years, at the rent and subject to the covenants and conditions contained or implied in Lease Number Kampala Capital City Authority-00149055, bound up herewith, and subject to any encumbrances (if any) entered in the Incumbrance Register,” reads the document.

The unit has now requested ULC to halt any further transactions on the land until its rightful status is established.

The letter

In a letter dated February 7, 2025, addressed to the secretary of ULC and received on February 11, Dr Warren Naamara, the unit’s executive director, expressed concerns over the land’s sudden alienation.

“A matter of grave concern regarding the ownership and protection of Plot 42, North Kitante Road, Kampala, measuring 0.2450ha, which was originally designated for Mulago National Referral Hospital, has been brought to our attention,” the letter reads in part.

“The said land was in use by the hospital but did not have a registered land title in its name. Despite this, it appears that a leasehold title over the same land was subsequently issued to private individuals without any formal consultation or approval from the relevant government authorities.”

Naamara warns that the circumstances surrounding the transaction remain unclear and require urgent scrutiny.

“The circumstances under which this land was alienated and transferred remain unclear, and there is a pressing need to protect it from further unlawful transactions or developments.”

The letter further calls on ULC to clarify the land’s official ownership and records of its allocation, leasing, or transfer; confirm whether ULC authorised any leasehold or freehold transactions on the land and investigate whether due process was followed and whether Mulago Hospital or the Ministry of Health was consulted before the transfer.

Naamara also asked ULC to ensure that any irregular transactions affecting the land are reviewed and if necessary, reversed to protect public interest.

“The importance of safeguarding government hospital land, especially that designated for public health services, cannot be overstated. If such alienations and transfers are allowed to proceed unchecked, it sets a dangerous precedent that threatens public institutions and essential services,” he warned.

More hospital land grabbed

When contacted, Dr Naamara confirmed writing to ULC, emphasising that hospital land is being grabbed across the country.

“My prayer is that President Yoweri Museveni issues an executive order to ULC to title all lands belonging to health institutions,” he said.

He cited cases in Walukuba, Masese, and Bugembe in Jinja district, where some land belonging to health facilities has been converted into commercial plots or turned into private parking spaces for top businessmen. Similar cases have also been reported in Gomba and Entebbe.

Not the first time

In 2021, the Administrator General exposed a suspected fraudulent ploy by bogus claimants to take over Mulago Hospital land using forged documents.

Charles Kasibayo’s revelation is contained in a report dated May 23, 2021 on a family that claims to own a chunk of Mulago Hospital’s land. According to the Administrator General, the land being claimed is estimated at sh30b.

Kasibayo said they had the family of Sefasi Kiwanuka was laying claim to government land comprised in Block 29 Plot 846 at Mulago, on which staff quarters and some key buildings are located.

The Administrator General said the claim of ownership by the grandchildren of Kiwanuka started in 2016. The grandchildren claim that Kiwanuka had a residue of 1.566ha on Block 29 Plot 846.

However, Kasibayo said the claim was investigated by the office of the Administrator General and that of the Attorney General, headed by the then Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana and found to be based on forged documents and falsehoods.

“Mulago Hospital was built around 1913. It is now over 100 years old. One wonders why there has never been any claim from even the deceased himself, who died in 1937 (24 years after Mulago took possession). Further still, even Sefasi Kiwanuka’s direct lineal descendants, now dead, did not make a claim to the land at Mulago,” the report seen by New Vision states.