UGANDA, Nakawa | Real Muloodi News | State Minister for Lands, Sam Mayanja, has appealed to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja for help after Nakawa-Naguru land negotiations flopped, with parties turning violent.
In a letter to the Prime Minister dated Wednesday 23rd of February, 2022, Nabbanja describes the situation as “very urgent,” imploring her compel the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, the Uganda Land Commission, and the Attorney General (amoung others) to attend a meeting.
“I was today compelled to urgently intervene in the Nakawa-Naguru wrangles which were becoming violent. I managed to cool down tempers and Stakeholders agreed to stop all activities on Nakawa-Naguru land for three (3) months effective today, to allow government to come up with a win-win solution for all,” Minister Mayanja wrote.
He adds, “The purpose of this letter is to request for your urgent intervention in this matter which has been raised several times on the floor of Parliament.”
He says the proposed meeting would help to set the agenda for the further management of the Nakawa-Naguru land issue.
Nakawa-Naguru has been a source of contention since 2007, when the land was parcelled out to developer, Opec Prime Properties Ltd, to build a satellite city.
Eleven years later, in 2018, Cabinet cancelled the agreement with Opec Prime Properties for failing to meet its obligations. The government seized the land through the Uganda Land Commission (ULC).
After the repossession, ULC agreed to reallocate the land to new developers.
On October 20th 2019, Museveni wrote to then-Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister Betty Amongi, directing that land be given to Internal Medicine of Uganda PC.
According to another presidential directive, internal Medicine of Virginia PC has been allotted 15 acres, while Uganda Heart Institute has been given 10 acres.
“Sometime back I met our Ugandans of Arab origin who used to own Bismillahi Restaurant in Mbarara in the 1960s. Their children are specialised medical doctors who run several medical facilities in America. I convinced them to come to Uganda and establish a specialised hospital and nursing home, which they agreed to. They requested for part of the Nakawa-Naguru land to set up the facility,” Museveni wrote.
“Given the urgent need to stop medical tourism and enable access to affordable specialised treatment by Ugandans, I hereby, direct that you allocate 15 acres of the said land to Internal Medicine of Virginia P.C,” he directed.
However, there are institutions already on the land that have been catered for in the re-allocation, including Nakawa Division Offices, Naguru Infant Primary School, St. Peters Church of Uganda and Multi Consults Ltd, among others.
Mayanja indicated this plainly in a letter to Museveni dated November 2, 2021. He requested direction on the Naguru land problem as the Uganda Land Commission had already granted land to 18 firms, under criteria for eligibility for investors to be allocated Nakawa/Naguru land.
In Mayanja’s letter seeking final approval from Museveni, companies had been allocated land as follows;
Twenty-five acres of the land were allocated due to presidential directives, with 5.05 acres being institutional land, two acres to Ntinda wholesalers and 50 acres given to private individuals and companies.
Following a ministerial visit, those who had erected structures on the land are to be compensated because the size of their structures and their plans are not compatible with the planned ultra-modern Satellite city.
Mayanja asks Museveni for the green light to conclude the allocation process in the letter.
When ULC officials appeared before the legislative committee on physical infrastructure last year, they produced a list of over 20 developers, suggesting that the investors had already given 50 acres of the 82 acres.
ULC also notified the MPs that the developers were reviewed and apportioned land depending on the relevant eligibility requirements: legal existence, details of the directors’ annual audited accounts, extensive experience on similar projects, company structures, the business model for land development, confirmation of tax compliance, evidence of funding source, and submission of documentary evidence in support of the application.
The land commission further informed MPs that the President approved the allotment following ULC’s letter to him dated the 16th of September, 2020, detailing ULC’s thorough strategy to develop the Naguru-Nakawa property attempts to filter out fraudulent investors.
“The President appreciated the ULC’s rigorous plan and further directed ULC to interview potential investors in order to determine their seriousness before allocation. In addition, the commission conducted face-to-face interactions with the assessed applicants,” ULC said.
“I have received your well-written letter of the 5th of August, 2020 about the new plans of the Land Commission of digitalising the records and also the rigorous plans for the Naguru -Nakawa land for developing the area, finally, as well as weeding out fake investors. I have also noted your emphasis on the Land Commission Bill, which you would like enacted into law, although you did not bring out for me its value addition to the struggle for better land governance in Uganda.
Nevertheless, I am directing the Attorney General to expedite that effort by a copy of this letter. I agree with your proposal that your team interviews the Virginia Hospital group, ensuring their seriousness. I request the Virginia group to come and meet you for that purpose,” President Museveni wrote.
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