IGG orders Mubende to halt activities on health centre land

Mubende.

The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has halted the impending takeover of Kibalinga Health Centre III land in Mubende District by an investor for the construction of a commercial plaza and a maize mill plant.
The IGG’s office has in a formal communication instructed the Mubende District Land Board to halt any development on the said land until they establish who the rightful owners of the land in contention are.
According to a February 12, letter by the IGG, Ms Irene Mulyagonja , her office received numerous complaints about the irregular allocation of part of the health centre’s land to an investor, which required their intervention.
Local leaders in Kibalinga Sub-county in Mubende carved out plots from the health centre land and allocated part of it to a private developer trading under Mubende agro-supply and Processors Limited.

Dispute
“This is therefore to direct you to halt any activities pertaining to the allocation of land by Kibalinga Sub-county until this office completes investigations or issues further orders on the matters,” the letter reads in part.
The letter followed a dispute raised by a section of sub-county councillors opposed to the giveaway of land to a private developer.
Ms Flavia Rukundo Bahamire and other representatives for Persons with Disability led a team that petitioned the IGG, after finding excavators clearing the land without their knowledge.
“We were shocked to find tractors excavating the health centre land. When we tried to confront the workers, they referred us to the sub-county chairperson, claiming he cleared them to take over the land,” Mr Joseph Lubega, a councillor for Kibalinga B, said
However, Mr Venansious Mbonye, the sub-county chairperson, explained that the land on Block 199 Plot 242 and Plot 243 was allocated as a result of a partnership the sub-county entered with a private developer.

Agreement
According to Mr Mbonye, on August 31, 2017, the sub-county local government signed a memorandum of understanding with Mubende Agro Supply and Processor Limited; which was also witnessed by the Chief Administrative Officer, committing to offer part of the land for private development.
He revealed that they agreed to offer the piece of land measuring 1 acre 300feet by 400 feet, on block 199, plots 242 and 243 at Lusalira ward to Mr John Twahirwa, the director of Mubende Agro Supply and Processor Limited (the investor ). Mr Mbonye said the developer intends to set up a storage commercial building housing produce stores, a supermarket, a hotel and a petrol station, which investments would bring revenue.
“We initially carried out a survey to find out how much land we possessed. We found out that it was 10 acres which contained the health centre, the police post and Bagezza Seed Secondary School. We thought giving out just one acre from this piece of land is too little to affect the effective running of the health facilities,” he said.
Mr Mbonye also accuses the project adversaries of harbouring selfish political interests in their actions.

Background
Last year when the conflict over the said land emerged, it was rumoured that the sub-county officials had entered an agreement with Mr John Twahirwa, a businessman in Mubende Town, to allow him utilise part of Kibalinga Health Centre III land without the council approval.
According to sources, an agreement cementing the deal was signed on July 31, 2017, between Mr Twahirwa’s lawyer, JK Ssewanyana and Kibalinga Sub-county officials.
Mr Twahirwa said he legally acquired the land after applying to the sub-county chief‘s office expressing interest to develop it.
“Our request was granted and we later entered into a memorandum of understanding with the sub-county which now gives us the mandate to use the land. In case of any grievances, let them be handled by the sub-county because for us we passed through the proper channels,” Mr Twahirwa told Daily Monitor then.
He added: “I paid Shs3m as premium and I will be paying annual nominal ground rent to the sub-county for the next 49 years of my lease.”