MPs to Muhanga: Thank you for not embarrassing us

PIC: The committee chairperson Abdu Katuntu (Bugweri County MP). Photos/Meddi Musisi

The parliamentary committee on statutory authorities and state enterprises has hailed its member Margaret Muhanga for accepting to swallow her pride and surrender the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) land title to them.

Muhanga, who is Burahya County MP, had claimed on Tuesday to have paid sh10b in cash to acquire a piece of land belonging to UBC and scoffed at her colleagues investigating the matter on Wednesday.

"Hey stay cool. The Supreme Court, the highest in the land already made a ruling on the UBC land and Parliament cannot overturn it. Period," Muhanga said on Twitter a day after she was grilled by the committee.

The committee chairperson Abdu Katuntu (Bugweri County) told journalists on Saturday morning at Speke Resort, Munyonyo that the title was delivered to them by Muhanga's lawyers on Friday evening.

"We commend honourable Muhanga for having adhered to the directive of the committee to avoid the situation which was getting her and the committee embarrassed because she is a member of our committee," said Katuntu.

The committee is currently in Munyonyo scrutinizing the Auditor General's report for 2013/14

Katuntu said: "As per the committee's directive to have the land title in respect of a UBC land to be surrendered to the committee, the honourable Muhanga's lawyers delivered the title to the committee yesterday (Friday) evening and the title as we talk now is in our possession."

 The committee members at Speke Resort, Munyonyo on Saturday morning

Katuntu barks

Katuntu vowed to leave no stone unturned in streamlining the operations of state authorities and state enterprises.

"Our priority now is to make sure that all the land belonging to the state authorities and state enterprises is safeguarded and all that has been alienated to be recovered. We would like to send a signal to all the managers of these state authorities and state enterprises that all the public land that was irregularly or illegally alienated will be recovered by us," he said.

He said the committee was going to do an inventory of all the land of these entities and to see which entity still holds the land and which entity has had the land stolen.

Title not showed

However, by press time Katuntu had not yet showed journalists the title he said was to be brought to them by the police officer attached to the committee.

Investigations

The committee is investigating the alleged fraudulent purchase of UBC land in Bugolobi a Kampala suburb.

Muhanga told a committee that she bought the land from court bailiffs at a cost of sh10b which she paid in cash.

According to Muhanga, the money was raised through the sale of cows, goats and donations from family members.

Asked whether the sh10b was withdrawn from a bank, Muhanga responded: "It was in my house. I paid cash and I was given a receipt."

The committee gave Muhanga up to Friday to produce a land title but she insisted that she had no title, arguing that it was cancelled by the Supreme Court.

"You see, we are moving back and forth on this matter. This matter was concluded by the Supreme Court - the highest court in this country. Then, where does anyone - whether Auditor General or parliament come in?" Muhanga said.

 "You mean parliament can overturn a Supreme Court ruling? I don't know, just educate me," Muhanga said.

Supreme Court cancels title

The Supreme Court has since cancelled Muhanga's land title citing irregularities in the process that saw UBC sell its land.

The claim by Muhanga that she raised such colossal sums from selling goats and cows has spawned a heated and, a tad sarcastic debate on social media with some impugning the veracity of her statement.

The transaction that saw Muhanga acquire the land in question is eerily complicated.

By an agreement dated 14th February, 2011, UBC, at sh11.5b, sold the land in question to Haba Group - a company belonging to property mogul, Hassan Basajjabalaba.

Three months later, Haba Group sold the land in question to Deo & Sons properties Ltd for sh22b.

Surprisingly, then UBC Managing Director, Paul Kihika wrote a letter terminating the sale agreement to Haba saying the sale flouted provisions in the UBC Act.  

The land was sold without prior explicit permission of minister of information as required by the UBC Act.

When Haba filed a case challenging cancellation of the sale, court upheld UBC's objection to the sale and dismissed the suit.

Dissatisfied, Haba lodged an appeal in the Court of Appeal. However, before the case could be disposed of, the parties - UBC, Haba and Deo & Sons entered into a consent judgment in April 2013 to amicably settle the matter.

In this arrangement, Haba and Deo & Sons executed a deed of assignment to SINBA (K) Ltd.

Subsequently, SINBA (K) Ltd applied for execution of the consent decree and a warrant of attachment of the land was issued to Twinamatsiko auctioneers who proceeded to sell the land to Muhanga.  

UBC later successfully challenged sale of its land in the Court of Appeal and attempts by SINBA, Haba and Muhanga to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court proved futile. Muhanga is now claiming refund of her sh10b.

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