Land probe: Kween county MP quizzed over land grabbing
Kween County Member of Parliament, Lawrence Cherop Mangusho. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Asked how he verified proper customary land owners, Mr Mangusho said: “I come from Kaptum Sub County, a neighbouring area and I knew the families. The ownership of land is known but without definite measurement and every time there is a survey, the community would sit to make deliberations and they were led by Mr Ndiema to me basing on my previous dealings with people.”
Witnesses testified that Mr Mangusho connived with Mr Ndiema to dupe people and grab their land but insisted that his role was to facilitate the processes and would rarely go to areas to get acquainted with the area.
KAMPALA. Kween County Member of Parliament, Lawrence Cherop Mangusho has been quizzed over alleged fraudulent acquisition of thousands of acres of land in two Sub counties in Kween and Kapchorwa districts.
It is alleged that during his tenure as a district councillor, Mr Mangusho connived with Kapchorwa District land board secretary, Mr Saul Diisi and businessman Kwemboi Ndiema to obtain proprietorship of thousands of acres of land to dispossess the communities without their consent.
The trio is jointly accused with three senior officers of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) for illegally evicting and acquiring more than 1,000 acres of land belonging to Babukusu family in Kween District.
The soldiers; Lt. Col Nassur Kibet attached to the 59th Battalion in Kapchorwa, Maj. (retired) Lenard Chemonges attached to State House and Lt. Chelokoi Mwanga attached to 30th Batalion in Amudat District are implicated over eviction of 427 people comprised in 83 families.
Appearing before the Justice Catherine Bamugemereire-led Commission, Mr Mangusho, 56, also a businessman and farmer confessed to working with his two accomplices to acquire vast chunks of land in Ngenge and Kiriki Sub Counties in Kween District as well as other parts in Kapchorwa District.
“I have land in Kapchorwa and other contentious places like plots 139, 162, 78, 138 in Kween District. I acquired this land through engagement with customary land owners where we entered into mutual understanding with the communities. They approached me to finance surveys and titling of their land and then they paid me in kind,” said Mr Mangusho.
Asked how he verified proper customary land owners, Mr Mangusho said: “I come from Kaptum Sub County, a neighbouring area and I knew the families. The ownership of land is known but without definite measurement and every time there is a survey, the community would sit to make deliberations and they were led by Mr Ndiema to me basing on my previous dealings with people.”
He testified that the communities approached him to fund their processes of surveying and securing their land after developing interest of investing in the venture unlike other people.
“Their main intention of approaching me was to secure their land from fraudsters. There were people from outside Ngenge Sub County because our people were financially weak due to insurgencies so they would look for people who were able to help,” Mr Mangusho said.
Witnesses testified that Mr Mangusho connived with Mr Ndiema to dupe people and grab their land but insisted that his role was to facilitate the processes and would rarely go to areas to get acquainted with the area.
