MPs to probe ULC over Namboole land giveaway

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among yesterday instructed the House Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) to investigate Uganda Land Commission (ULC) officials for allegedly sub-leasing part of Mandela National Stadium (Namboole) land to a private bus company.

“I want Cosase to take it as a priority to find out how ULC sub-leased land belonging to another entity without authorisation and funds collected as non-tax revenue; and how buses got to Namboole as if it was a parking yard,” she said during plenary.

She further directed State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang to ensure that buses belonging to Pioneer Bus Company vacate Namboole stadium to pave way for the country to host the upcoming games.

“I want you to have the scrap buses out of Namboole using the legal mechanism. The buses cannot give vacant possession for the contractor to organise the parking area and that is now what is at stake,” she said.

The directive came a day after Mr Ogwang informed her during her Monday visit to the stadium in Bweyogerere, Kampala that the contractor renovating the stadium cannot secure the parking because it was taken over by a bus company.

 “We don’t know how much the government of Uganda has gained from this parking over the years but Madam Speaker, for us what we want is our land to be brought back,” he said.

During the plenary yesterday, Commissioner Mathias Mpuuga presented a report by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade, which stated that the bus company was demanding Shs25b from government as compensation.

The UPDF Engineering Brigade is undertaking the renovation works.

Mr Ogwang said they are demanding Shs147m from the company because it parked its buses on the stadium land.

Lack of proper parking area was one of the major concerns raised by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) in its pre-inspection report that was presented in Parliament by the Opposition Chief Whip John Baptist Nambeshe last Thursday.

The UPDF Engineering Brigade said the renovation will be done by May 25 but Ms Among asked them to speed up the works and have it ready in two weeks.

This, she said, will enable Uganda to prepare for the June games and the upcoming African Nations Championship (Chan).

However, during plenary yesterday, Erute County MP Jonathan Odur revealed that “Caf Regulation 2022 requires that the host federation writes a request for inspection of a stadium not less than 75 days from Match day article 4 of Caf Regulation 2022. Our next schedule of the games are due on June 3 and 10 in less than 40 days”.

But the  Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) president, Mr Moses Magogo said the Caf top organ has powers to override some of these limitations.   He castigated the ministry of Education and Sports for sidelining Fufa during the renovation process which has caused problems.

Mr Magogo, who visited Nakivubo stadium with Mr Ogwang in November last year, also told Parliament that the stadium, which is being developed by the businessman Hamis Kiggundu, is not fit to host any international game.

Games

Uganda is expected to host two international World Cup qualifiers games on June 3 and 10.

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