NEMA to inspect wakiso land

Sep 29, 2008

THE Parliamentary Committee on Commissions and State Enterprises has directed the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to inspect the land at Temangalo, which was sold to NSSF, and ascertain whether it has a wetland.

By Mary Karugaba and Milton Olupot

THE Parliamentary Committee on Commissions and State Enterprises has directed the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to inspect the land at Temangalo, which was sold to NSSF, and ascertain whether it has a wetland.

NEMA is next week expected to appear before the committee, which is probing the sh11b land deal between NSSF, city businessman Amos Nzeyi and Arma Ltd, a company linked to security minister Amama Mbabazi.

The committee chairman, Johnson Malinga, yesterday announced that he had written to Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, the executive director of NEMA, to also establish the size of the wetland if there is one.

NEMA’s invitation is as a result of contention about whether part of the land sold to NSSF is a wetland.

The land in dispute is part of the 99.22 acres on plot 35 that was sold to NSSF by Arma Ltd. The MPs who visited Temangalo last week insist about 20 acres of the land constitute a wetland but Mbabazi said they were fish ponds.

Appearing before the committee last week, Mbabazi offered to take the committee to Temangalo to establish the presence of the wetland. Watching the video clip, Mbabazi kept asking: “Where is the wetland you are talking about?”

Sarah Nyombi, one of the MPs who visited the place, argued that NEMA should investigate the matter and report to Parliament.

On Wednesday, NSSF surveyor John Musungu told the committee that plot 35 had an expanse of a swamp although he said he could not determine whether it was a wetland.

“We have now extended the list of witnesses to include NEMA.When we visited the place, we saw that there was a wetland. Unfortunately, other people have said there is no wetland. It is now up to NEMA to establish that,” Malinga said.

Meanwhile, a group of workers who were scheduled to meet the committee failed to appear.

Christopher Kahirita, leading a delegation of five people, requested for adjournment saying they were scheduled to meet the labour minister at the same time.

“The minister calls and invites us for a meeting today; the committee also invites us today. In fact, we are divided on who to meet,” he said.

Malinga said there was no conspiracy on their side. “It was not our intention to put you in a difficult situation. Our intention was to have you express your views.”

He rescheduled the meeting to Friday.

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