Kabakumba implicated in UBC land sale

By Henry Sekanjako 

The managing director Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) Paul Kihiika has revealed shocking details on the sale of UBC land on plot M47 Kibira Road Bugolobi.

Kihiika says the land was subdivided into different sizes and disposed off under directives of the then Ministers of Information and National Guidance.

He named the ministers as former Third deputy Prime Minister Kirunda Kivejinja, and Kabakumba Masiko who were ministers for information during the leasing out and sale of the said land which totals to 49 Acres.

Appearing before the parliamentary committee on commissions, statutory and state enterprises, COSASE  on Wednesday, Kihiika said the two ministers directed the lease of 8 acres of the land at Sh 3,417,590,930 to Bro-Group for the construction of the inland transportation and logistics terminal center and communication center, four  acres to Export promotions board in exchange for 300sq meters space.

He added that the export promotions board had already sold its lease interest to M/S Sino East Africa and Trade center Ltd belonging to Wange hujin adding that: “No money was paid in exchange to the said land”.

Kihiika added that under the directive of the said ministers, two acres were leased to Ex-Ken (U) Ltd to purportedly expand their factory at Sh300m noting that the company had already mortgaged the said land at US$700,000 from diamond Trust bank.

According to Kihiika, 4 acres out of the 49 acres of the said land was also leased to Chinese Sino East Africa trade center in exchange of development of plan of the land , construction of a Transmission house at Kololo Machinery to strengthen regional broadcasting centers.

He added that Metro- Nominees Associates (U) Ltd was also leased 2 Acres who later surrendered their interests to Zhong industries Ltd.

Kihiika noted that the other remaining 15 acres were to be leased on competitive bidding saying, “Am not sure how they were disposed off as I cannot locate any documents regarding their disposal. ”

He further told MPs that agreements were  also made for the sale of about 23.5 Acres of land on Faraday Road in Bugolobi to Habba group belonging to city tycoon Hassan Basajabalaba  at sh 11bn which he  later transferred  to Deo and sons at sh 22b a price much higher than that he paid  UBC .

“There was transfer of land from UBC to Habba group which later transferred to Deo and Sons at Sh 22b I then wrote a letter canceling the transactions in the national interest,” he said

He added the land housed equipment used for short and medium waves that are used for broadcast in West Nile among other areas of the country noting that having the land given away would interfere with broadcast.

“There were no payments made for the transfer of the land. UBC was losing everything. Deo and Sons are the same with Habba group if it was transfer it should have been recorded,”

Kihiika intimated to the committee that about 69 cheques that were issued to UBC for the sale of most of the plots bounced adding that there were no monies sent to UBC accounts.

He also noted that about 1.7bn was used to survey the said 49 acres of land by a survey company saying there were no documents to show the contracts signed adding that the money was much more than what was supposed to be used for surveying.

Kihiika told the committee that out of the 49 acres 15 are remaining but 8 of these ,their titles are no where to be seen adding that the management 0f UBC had asked police to investigate where these titles could be.

When asked by the committee what could have led to the sale and leasing out UBC Bugolobi land Kihiika said Kabakumba told him that she didn’t know that the land had broadcast equipments.

He however asked the committee to help UBC recover the money from the illegal sale of the corporation land and be compensated where they fail to recover the money.

The committee chaired by Kumi county MP Patrick Amuriat asked Kihiika to provide the committee with information on UBC transmitters, different radio equipments and those that have been given t private radio stations.