UMSC officials on spot over subleasing sembabule land

Three Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) top officials have been have been faulted for subleasing land at Bukiragi village in Ntuusi sub-county, Sembabule district.

The officials include the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, UMSC secretary general Haji Ramathan Mugalu and the Muslim council chairperson, Sheikh Abdul Kadir Idi Balonde.

West Buganda region Muslim spokesperson Isma Ssesimba said the trio subleased the land to Enterprise Handling Services Limited without approval of the UMSC's contracts committee.

"I call upon all Muslims to unite so that we reclaim our land in Sembabule," Ssesimba said.

UMSC is the registered proprietor of a 49-year renewable lease land (ranch) no 31A, measuring approximately two square miles.

Ssesimba explained that the land, which was donated to Muslim community by former President Idi Amin, measured five square miles but it has all been sold off.

Meanwhile, a group of Muslims, led by one Swaibu Kintu, has applied to the registrar of titles in charge of Masaka zonal offices to maintain a caveat lodged on the land in 1995.

Kintu contends that the transaction did not follow the proper procurement process put in place by UMSC's contracts committee.

In this affidavit, Kintu said from his research, UMSC is still the registered owner of the land and that it should not be transferred to another party.

This comes at a time when businessman Albert Muganga, the director of Enterprise Handling Services Ltd, has applied to have the land encumbered.

Muganga says his company has interest in the land, which is recognised by UMSC representatives as per the agreement entered by both parties on September 9, 2017.

UMSC defends sublease

In an interview with NewVision, Mugalu defended the lease, saying it was intended to safeguard the land from grabbers.

Citing a number of Muslim properties that have been transferred into private use, such as the three-acres at Nateete mosque, Mugalu said they have resolved to lease out all vacant land for protection.

"We have lost a number of properties to land grabbers because it was vacant. Therefore, going forward, we are going to lease out all vacant land as a protective measure," Mugalu said.

"UMSC is the only body mandated to manage and develop Muslim land in Uganda under Article 10 (9) (d) of the UMSC constitution," Mugalu added.

Land has been largely blamed for fuelling conflicts among Muslims in the country.

In 2008, UMSC leased plot 30 on William Street, Kampala to businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba, who later sold it to Drake Lubega.

This led to creation of a parallel Muslim administration at Kibuli.

President Yoweri Museveni has since compensated Lubega and returned the land to the Muslim community.