Govt cancels Makerere land title

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has cancelled a land title that had been issued to a lady who calls herself a princess in the Buganda Kingdom and had claimed 14 acres of Makerere University land located in Makindye.

In a letter reference, KYD261/14, 25, 45, 261 dated January 28, 2020, Robert Opio the Acting Commissioner, Land Registration informed Makerere the Ministry of Lands had cancelled the title issued to Princes Faridah Namusisi Naluwembe.

The cancellation of the title follows a protest letter by Makerere University in a letter dated January 24, 2020, to the Commissioner Land registration in which they complained of fraudsters who had obtained a title using help from some Ministry officials.

"Makerere University owns land comprised in Freehold Register Volume 52, Folio 25 Makindye Estate, Lukuli and holds a freehold title over it, issued in 1955. A fraudster in the names of Princes Namusisi has fraudulently obtained a Mailo certificate of title superimposed on the land owned by Makerere University, Kyadondo Block 253, Plots 14, 45 and 261 Lukuli," the University stated.

Makerere noted that the said Namusisi was assisted by officials from the lands registry in the perpetuation of the fraud. "The purpose of this letter is, therefore, to formally lodge a complaint with your office and to request for your urgent intervention by investigating this fraud and causing the cancellation of the forged titles as well as the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators," Makerere insisted.

In another letter dated January 30, 2020, Makerere University thanked the Commissioner of Lands for the prompt action of cancelling of the fraudulent titles but asked the Ministry to also intervene and help them redeem some other properties that had been grabbed, "Makerere University has been a victim of such fraud over it's land in several places including Makindye, Katanga, Katalemwa, Kololo among others.

The manner in which this fraud is executed clearly shows a nexus between the perpetrators. Accordingly, in order to stop the occurrence of such fraud in future, it is important that the culprits be investigated and prosecuted."

Makerere requested the Commissioner of Lands to cause the investigations and prosecution of all officers who were involved in the fraudulent processing of the land titles in the issue. "We request you to keep us routinely updated until the investigations and prosecutions are completed," Makerere stated.

Part of the Makindye property which had already been fraudulently sold out and some sections of the lands graded. Among those who reportedly bought the controversial piece include popular socialite Suleiman Mbuga popularly known as Sk Mbuga. Sunday Vision has also learnt that the same Namusisi is heavily guarded by the military.

Sunday Vision has been profiling a number of Makerere University properties that were grabbed by some senior government officials and businessmen fraudulently. Some of these critical properties are located in Kololo.

Makerere University recently lost it's 73-acre Katelemwa Estate after fraudulent officials in the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) created a new title basing on one which had been cancelled in1939.  ULC together with the than Minister of Lands Betty Amongi proceeded to dish out the properties to several companies including private individuals but yet the University had planned to construct a teaching hospital at the same piece of land.

Ironically though Amongi claims she was acting on a Presidential directive to give the investor 75 acres of land, ULC only gave out the investor 6 acres and proceeded to give the same land to questionable people. Makerere University has since promised to fight and recover the land.