UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | In a recent statement from the Presidential Press Unit, it has been clarified that the Presidential Taskforce on Land Matters and Environment, led by Brig. Moses Lukyamuzi does not possess the authority to conduct investigations or detain individuals accused of land or environmental crimes.
Brig. Lukyamuzi, operating as a Special Presidential Assistant within the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, has a specific role focused on preventing encroachments on wetlands, forests, and riverbanks.
The task force is empowered to ensure swift security responses in cases of land grabbing and to hand over suspects to the police or military police for further proceedings.
The statement emphasized that the Presidential Taskforce is not sanctioned to independently carry out investigations, detain individuals, or prosecute suspects.
Instead, these responsibilities fall within the jurisdiction of existing institutions such as the police, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the Courts of Law.
While the statement did not disclose any specific complaints regarding the task force’s operations, it aimed to clarify its defined role.
Often, various Presidential task forces have faced scrutiny for potentially encroaching upon the responsibilities of established government institutions.
For instance, the State House Anticorruption Taskforce has previously clashed with the office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG), with accusations that the task force sought to assume the IGG’s mandate in combating corruption.
The clarification aims to reinforce the demarcation of roles and responsibilities between the Presidential Taskforce and other law enforcement and legal entities.
As the mandate of the task force remains focused on specific aspects of land and environmental protection, the statement seeks to prevent any misconceptions about its authority in conducting broader investigations or detaining individuals, which remain firmly within the domain of established legal and law enforcement bodies.
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