UGANDA, Buikwe | Real Muloodi News | The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, has been assigned to probe the accusations against the Minister of Internal Affairs, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, regarding the alleged grabbing of a government stock farm in Njeru Municipality, Buikwe District.
This directive stemmed from a national concern raised by Kira Municipality MP, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, who expressed dismay over a minister’s involvement in actions contrary to his expected role of safeguarding the farm.
During the plenary sitting chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on Thursday, January 25, 2024, Ssemujju posed a question, “Can the government clarify whether the situation has deteriorated to the point where a minister can take control of a government farm, arrest a farm manager, and claim ownership?”
The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, seconded Ssemujju’s statements, condemning the minister’s alleged misconduct, which, he argued, deprived citizens of essential services provided by the farm.
Ssenyonyi emphasised the significance of the Njeru farm, housing the only livestock breeding plant for the entire eastern region and the sole liquid nitrogen plant serving all hospitals in the eastern region.
Hon. Sarah Opendi, Tororo District Woman MP, recalled the extensive investigation conducted by the 10th Parliament, urging consideration of the recommendations made at that time.
“The Committee on Agriculture investigated this matter, and a report was presented with recommendations. Maybe we need to pick the recommendations and the discussion on what the House finally passed and start from there,” suggested Opendi.
She added, “In the recommendations, the government was told to get its farm, and if Gen. Otafiire had any legal claims, then he could be compensated.”
In response, the Minister for Public Service, Hon. Wilson Muruli Mukasa, proposed that Parliament give Otafiire an opportunity to provide a statement of personal explanation.
“This matter is not a new one as some legal steps have been taken. I think the best thing would be for us to request Hon. Kahinda Otafiire to come up and say something; he is an actor in this matter, and it will be opportune for him to come here and make a statement and clear the air,” stated Muruli Mukasa.
However, the Deputy Speaker ruled in favour of assigning the Prime Minister to take charge of the investigation and report back to Parliament within two weeks.
The Deputy Speaker also directed the release of Dr. Carol Wabule, the Njeru Stock Farm Manager, who had been arrested on charges of criminal trespass reportedly on the orders of Otafiire.
The farm manager had already been released on Police bond and reinstated to her position, as confirmed by the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Rukia Nakadama.
In 2019, Otafiire presented documents to Parliament asserting that the disputed land did not belong to the government but was a private mailo he acquired through a willing buyer-willing seller transaction.
He argued that the government had been erroneously associated with his land.
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