UGANDA, Masaka | Real Muloodi News | The decision to establish Masaka District headquarters on land donated by former Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi has sparked significant debate among local leaders.
The land, located in Kyambazzi Village, Kyanamukaka Sub-county, was officially handed over to the Ministry of Local Government during a ceremony in Kampala. This development has overturned an earlier district council resolution that identified Nkuke Village in Buwunga Sub-county as the site for the new district offices.
Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi explained that unresolved issues with the Nkuke site had influenced the decision to move the project to Kyambazzi. During the handover event, he expressed satisfaction that the land title, registered under Block 600 Plot 30 and measuring 10 acres, was now in the name of Masaka District Local Government. He assured residents that construction of the district offices would begin soon and urged local leaders to work together to support the project.
Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi said he donated the land to benefit the community, explaining that it was part of his grandfather’s inheritance. The donation, however, has not resolved tensions among district leaders, some of whom believe the council’s earlier decision to use land in Nkuke should stand.
District Speaker Francis Kimuli questioned the minister’s authority to overturn the council’s decision. He argued that while Ssekandi’s donation was appreciated, the district could use that land for other purposes since the council had already resolved to build the offices in Nkuke. He noted that the Nkuke site is registered in the district’s name and construction plans were already underway, with Shs1 billion allocated to the project.
In January 2024, leaders from Buwunga Sub-county launched construction works at the Nkuke site, led by councilor Peter Ssenkungu. This move demonstrated local commitment to the initial plan, but the minister’s decision has now redirected efforts to Kyambazzi.
Currently, Masaka District faces challenges with its scattered administrative offices. Several departments, including education, health, and finance, as well as the office of the Chief Administrative Officer, are housed in buildings belonging to the Buganda Kingdom in Saaza, a Masaka City suburb. Other offices, such as those of the district chairperson and vice chairperson, operate from Kitabiro, two kilometers away. These logistical difficulties underscore the urgency of completing a centralized headquarters.
The dispute over the Masaka District headquarters’ location is not new. In January 2022, the district council voted to situate the offices in Nkuke Village, with 11 councilors supporting the proposal and five opposing it.
Those who disagreed with the decision alleged political motivations behind the rejection of Ssekandi’s earlier offer of land in Kyanamukaka. This longstanding division among local leaders has complicated efforts to finalize the project.
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