Butabika Hospital land sold
Nov 23, 2006
BUTABIKA Hospital land meant for investors has been parceled out to elite individuals, MPs heard yesterday. According to the list presented to Parliament’s public accounts committee by the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) chief, Mayanja Nkangi, 212.5 out of 356 acres was allocated to large investment
By Mary Karugaba
BUTABIKA Hospital land meant for investors has been parceled out to elite individuals, MPs heard yesterday.
According to the list presented to Parliament’s public accounts committee by the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) chief, Mayanja Nkangi, 212.5 out of 356 acres was allocated to large investments.
The rest was given to over 158 individuals.
The beneficiaries include deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta (1.0 acre), Third Deputy Premier Kirunda Kivejinja (0.5 acres), FDC deputy president Sam Njuba (0.25) and Col. James Mugira (1.0 acre).
Others are President Yoweri Museveni’s sons-in-law Edwin Karugire (0.5 acres) and Geoffrey Kamuntu and his wife Diana (0.5).
Kampala Central Division chairman Godfrey Nyakana and his wife Sarah Kizito, under her company Lady Charlotte, got two separate plots of 0.25 and 0.5 acres.
In 2003, the Government allocated 356 of the 656 acres of land at Butabika to investors.
However, the Seventh Parliament halted the process until both parties agreed on the allocated land.
Nkangi said 100 acres was allocated to M/S Sarna Trading Co. following a directive by the then lands minister, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire. The company was to construct an ultra-modern hospital.
In a heated debate with officials of ULC, MPs queried the criteria used to sell land to individuals, some of whom they said were in positions of influence.
Hospital director Dr. Fred Kigozi said, “I have been jealously guarding the land for the last 15 years, but when the government said it wanted the land for investors, I had no objection. They said the investment would be connected to the hospital issues.â€
MPs were also told that part of the allocated land was a swamp.
Committee chairman Nandala Mafabi asked, “Was it right to change public land and give it to private people, yet the number of sick people is on the rise and without consulting the custodians of the property?â€
“How did these people know that there was free land in Butabika? Did you advertise? How could you even sell land that is in a swamp?†he asked.
Asked about the purpose for which the plots were allocated, ULC secretary Mubarrak Kintu declined to comment. He was then ordered to speak under oath.
“I am not responsible for the list. Let the person who did that take oath. She is there,†he said, pointing at Elizabeth Lucky, an official from the lands ministry.
Mafabi directed that Kintu and Lucky be escorted by the CID until they produced the documents supporting the land allocation.
BUTABIKA Hospital land meant for investors has been parceled out to elite individuals, MPs heard yesterday.
According to the list presented to Parliament’s public accounts committee by the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) chief, Mayanja Nkangi, 212.5 out of 356 acres was allocated to large investments.
The rest was given to over 158 individuals.
The beneficiaries include deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta (1.0 acre), Third Deputy Premier Kirunda Kivejinja (0.5 acres), FDC deputy president Sam Njuba (0.25) and Col. James Mugira (1.0 acre).
Others are President Yoweri Museveni’s sons-in-law Edwin Karugire (0.5 acres) and Geoffrey Kamuntu and his wife Diana (0.5).
Kampala Central Division chairman Godfrey Nyakana and his wife Sarah Kizito, under her company Lady Charlotte, got two separate plots of 0.25 and 0.5 acres.
In 2003, the Government allocated 356 of the 656 acres of land at Butabika to investors.
However, the Seventh Parliament halted the process until both parties agreed on the allocated land.
Nkangi said 100 acres was allocated to M/S Sarna Trading Co. following a directive by the then lands minister, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire. The company was to construct an ultra-modern hospital.
In a heated debate with officials of ULC, MPs queried the criteria used to sell land to individuals, some of whom they said were in positions of influence.
Hospital director Dr. Fred Kigozi said, “I have been jealously guarding the land for the last 15 years, but when the government said it wanted the land for investors, I had no objection. They said the investment would be connected to the hospital issues.â€
MPs were also told that part of the allocated land was a swamp.
Committee chairman Nandala Mafabi asked, “Was it right to change public land and give it to private people, yet the number of sick people is on the rise and without consulting the custodians of the property?â€
“How did these people know that there was free land in Butabika? Did you advertise? How could you even sell land that is in a swamp?†he asked.
Asked about the purpose for which the plots were allocated, ULC secretary Mubarrak Kintu declined to comment. He was then ordered to speak under oath.
“I am not responsible for the list. Let the person who did that take oath. She is there,†he said, pointing at Elizabeth Lucky, an official from the lands ministry.
Mafabi directed that Kintu and Lucky be escorted by the CID until they produced the documents supporting the land allocation.