KAMPALA – The State Minister for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja has asked the head of the State House Anti-corruption Unit Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke to pick interest and investigate the alarming mugging of government land in Mbarara City.
In a letter dated March 1, 2023, Dr. Mayanja said that the extensive land grabbing, brought to his attention by the elders and leaders led by Mbarara City North Member of Parliament Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari carries security connotations requiring investigations.
“This Office has been petitioned by the elders and leaders of the above-captioned area who allege that the rate at which the government is losing land is alarming. The petitioners allege that hundreds of hectares of land have been encroached on by members of the public, politicians, and government officials among others,” Dr. Mayanja wrote in a letter.
Some of the public lands grabbed include Biharwe Former Division Headquarters, Biharwe east playground, and weekly market Kanyarweru Campsite land located in Rwendama Cell.
Kanywa land located in Kakoma Ward, Rwakabiiko mailo land, Kyarwabuganda land located at Kakoma (vii) Akembogo land Nyabuhama Ward Headquarters land located in Nyaruhanga Cell, and Kishasha public land located in Nyakanengo Cell Nyakinengo Water booster located in Kibwera cell.
“This matter carries security connotations requiring investigations. I am accordingly forwarding the petitioners, Nabimanya Abel 0701482804, Ruhinda Deo 0702338037, John Bosco Magembe 070688635. Mukasa Kamwebaze 0752430872, Karusigarira 0773799739, Mugume Benon 0752444636 to your office to give you particulars you may require to handle the matter.”
The directive by the lands minister follows a January 1 letter by MP Rukaari protesting the invasion and stealing of government land in his constituency
“As the area Member of Parliament, I have since receipt of the complaints taken a keen interest in the matters raised therein and confirmed that the complaints are real, ongoing, and factual. A case in point is grabbing and encroaching on government land at Kanyarweru, Biharwe, Akanywa land, Kyarwabuganda land and other land described in the letter of complaint earlier hereto referred to,” MP Rukaari wrote asking the Mbarara City Clerk to establish the truth.
“As leaders in Mbarara City, it is our mandate, as we have a primary duty to protect government land entrusted under our care for the benefit of the public whom we serve.
“Since you are the technical arm of the Local Administration, please have these instances of land grabbing investigated so as to establish the truth. In the meantime, I will also engage the different stakeholders to ensure that we do protect government land from encroachment and grabbing”.
