Matembe Lists Govt Valuer’s ‘Shady’ Deals

The interdicted Government Valuer, Eddie Nsamba-Gayiiya, was behind a number of suspicious deals where the Government bought property at inflated prices, ethics minister Miria Matembe has said, reports Anne Mugisa. Gayiiya, who was interdicted about two weeks ago over the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) purchase of Udyam House at an exorbitant shs9.7b, has alleged persecution. But a number of valuers had tagged the house value at around sh6b.Matembe said that was not the only case the Government had been following regarding Gayiiya.She said the properties he had valued for purchase by the Government had been inflated and those the Government wanted to sell off are deflated.Matembe said the valuer was also involved in the controversial Customs building, which the URA rented from Sudhir Ruparelia at an inflated cost.She said Gayiiya valued government flats on Elizabeth Avenue in Kololo at sh220m when they could have fetched between sh500m and sh600m. The minister said in addition to the high purchase price for Udyam House, NSSF was trying to renovate it at US$8m. She said the Government had blocked the renovation.“Udyam House was becoming a replica of the controversial former MD Katembwe house which was purchased at an exorbitant cost and then rebuilt at another sh400m,” Matembe said. “NSSF is a rotten institution. Let them justify that sh9.7b house. It can’t be a coincidence that when Government wants to buy something, the Government valuer over values it and when the Government wants to sell a property it is deflated,” she said.Matembe said Udyam House was to be bought at US$3.5m by a private buyer. She said the price had been agreed on and as the buyer looked for money, NSSF bought the house at shs9.7b.Ends