Nakawa leaders in land sale scandal
Jan 30, 2008
NAKAWA<br><br>NAKAWA Division executive and council are at loggerheads following the alleged illegal sale of division land in Mutungo parish Zone 12.
NAKAWA
By Grace Agaba
NAKAWA Division executive and council are at loggerheads following the alleged illegal sale of division land in Mutungo parish Zone 12.
Findings by Nakawa council probe committee pointed accusing fingers at the division chairman Protazio Kintu, the deputy principal assistant town clerk D.K Mulambuzi, the division planner Henry Ssebagala and the council agent for Mutungo parish Moses Mugaga as having a hand in the alleged sale.
The 6-acre land is said to have been given to Mutungo Parish by former minister of local government, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, in 2003, after the residents requested for it to construct a primary school, health centre and play ground.
The construction however delayed as the division had to first process the land title. Before the processing of the land title was complete, the council learnt in 2007 that the land was divided into six plots and sold to different people.
A probe committee was established and as investigations were still going on the committee discovered that Mulambuzi had signed a letter allowing Ezra Transporters and Commercial Agencies, a private company, to make developments on the probed land.
“The town clerk knew that we were probing this land and went ahead to facilitate the illegal buyers of the land. This act should be questioned because we suspect that he had personal interests in signing the letter without our knowledge,†said the division speaker Xavier Kyoma.
A copy of the letter was presented to council by the Ntinda parish councilor Steven Kabuleta during the council meeting held on January 17.
Nakawa division deputy RDC, Fred Bamwine, expressed concern that as he helped the probe committee to investigate, some division heads were helping fraudulent people to succeed in the illegal takeover of the land.
“We shall not tolerate this kind of behaviour because at the end of the day it is our people to lose. We shall continue with our investigations and all those involved in the sale of the land will be prosecuted in courts of law,†Bamwine said.
Mulambuzi in his October 26, 2007 gave Ezra transporters and commercial agencies permission to construct a boundary wall at plot 38 and 40 of the probed land.
Mulambuzi, however, told council that he was misled by the division planner, Henry Ssebagala, who advised him to give Ezra Transporters a go-ahead. “Mr. Speaker Sir, please allow the planner to explain the circumstances that led to my signing of the letter,†pleaded Mulambuzi.
Ssebagala agreed that he advised the town clerk to write and sign the letter and asked council for forgiveness.
“I am sorry I misguided the town clerk but I was basing on what was presented to me, including a land title. But I ask for council to forgive me,†said Ssebagala.
Councillors, however, could not accept Mulambuzi’s defence arguing that he knew the land was being probed.
They said the signing of the letter indicated a possible involvement of the two officials in the land saga. It was agreed by the council that Mulambuzi and Ssebagala be transferred.
“We cannot continue working with a division planner who says he works for KCC yet we know that he works with Nakawa division. The same person who does not implement our resolutions and goes behind our back has denied to be working with us,†Kyoma said.
The council directed the senior assistant town clerk, John Higenyi, to take over the office of the town clerk and write to the KCC town clerk, Ruth Kijambu, informing her of the Council’s decision.
“Most people in Mutungo told us that Mugaga was involved in the sale of this land and when we contacted Mugaga he said that he was not alone, he said the chairman,Kintu, was also involved,†said Komaketch.
Council directed Kintu to leave office within two weeks from the date of the council meeting to allow further investigations.
Kintu dismissed the allegations as baseless and summed it up as a a ploy to make his electorate lose hope in him.
By Grace Agaba
NAKAWA Division executive and council are at loggerheads following the alleged illegal sale of division land in Mutungo parish Zone 12.
Findings by Nakawa council probe committee pointed accusing fingers at the division chairman Protazio Kintu, the deputy principal assistant town clerk D.K Mulambuzi, the division planner Henry Ssebagala and the council agent for Mutungo parish Moses Mugaga as having a hand in the alleged sale.
The 6-acre land is said to have been given to Mutungo Parish by former minister of local government, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, in 2003, after the residents requested for it to construct a primary school, health centre and play ground.
The construction however delayed as the division had to first process the land title. Before the processing of the land title was complete, the council learnt in 2007 that the land was divided into six plots and sold to different people.
A probe committee was established and as investigations were still going on the committee discovered that Mulambuzi had signed a letter allowing Ezra Transporters and Commercial Agencies, a private company, to make developments on the probed land.
“The town clerk knew that we were probing this land and went ahead to facilitate the illegal buyers of the land. This act should be questioned because we suspect that he had personal interests in signing the letter without our knowledge,†said the division speaker Xavier Kyoma.
A copy of the letter was presented to council by the Ntinda parish councilor Steven Kabuleta during the council meeting held on January 17.
Nakawa division deputy RDC, Fred Bamwine, expressed concern that as he helped the probe committee to investigate, some division heads were helping fraudulent people to succeed in the illegal takeover of the land.
“We shall not tolerate this kind of behaviour because at the end of the day it is our people to lose. We shall continue with our investigations and all those involved in the sale of the land will be prosecuted in courts of law,†Bamwine said.
Mulambuzi in his October 26, 2007 gave Ezra transporters and commercial agencies permission to construct a boundary wall at plot 38 and 40 of the probed land.
Mulambuzi, however, told council that he was misled by the division planner, Henry Ssebagala, who advised him to give Ezra Transporters a go-ahead. “Mr. Speaker Sir, please allow the planner to explain the circumstances that led to my signing of the letter,†pleaded Mulambuzi.
Ssebagala agreed that he advised the town clerk to write and sign the letter and asked council for forgiveness.
“I am sorry I misguided the town clerk but I was basing on what was presented to me, including a land title. But I ask for council to forgive me,†said Ssebagala.
Councillors, however, could not accept Mulambuzi’s defence arguing that he knew the land was being probed.
They said the signing of the letter indicated a possible involvement of the two officials in the land saga. It was agreed by the council that Mulambuzi and Ssebagala be transferred.
“We cannot continue working with a division planner who says he works for KCC yet we know that he works with Nakawa division. The same person who does not implement our resolutions and goes behind our back has denied to be working with us,†Kyoma said.
The council directed the senior assistant town clerk, John Higenyi, to take over the office of the town clerk and write to the KCC town clerk, Ruth Kijambu, informing her of the Council’s decision.
“Most people in Mutungo told us that Mugaga was involved in the sale of this land and when we contacted Mugaga he said that he was not alone, he said the chairman,Kintu, was also involved,†said Komaketch.
Council directed Kintu to leave office within two weeks from the date of the council meeting to allow further investigations.
Kintu dismissed the allegations as baseless and summed it up as a a ploy to make his electorate lose hope in him.